Employers Educate Employees About the Earned Income Tax Credit
As the April 15th tax deadline approaches, some employers are encouraging low-income workers and their families to learn more about the Earned Income Tax Credit. Although 4.3 million Americans are eligible for the EITC, thousands of dollars go unclaimed annually. Corporate Voices for Working Families, a non-profit organization, has developed an Employer Tool Kit to help employers educate their employees. The Tool Kit, which includes an Employer guidebook, information brochure, payroll stuffers and posters (in both English and Spanish), is available free of charge at www.cvwf.org.
Absence Management Survey Helps Employers Benchmark
Are you interested in learning more about absence management and how other employers address the issues? Take part in an employer survey conducted by Employee Benefit News and JHA. The survey provides benchmarking information on the frequency and cost of unscheduled absences, average number of missed workdays and the methods that employers use to control absenteeism. The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete and all responses are confidential. Survey participants will be sent a link to use in viewing the online results as well as a copy of the final report to be released in April. To complete the survey, go to:
http://www.jhaweb.com/survey/2005ams/survey_start.aspx
Oxford Health Plans/United Healthcare Merger Update
This is an important update for our customers with Oxford or United Healthcare plans in the New York Tri-state area:
Effective May 1, 2005: Oxford USA members will be accessing the United Healthcare Choice Plus network in place of First Health. Oxford will be sending letters to all clients shortly, followed by a letter to members. As a reminder, Oxford USA covers those employees who work outside of the Tri-state area.
Effective July 1, 2005: The integration of provider networks is scheduled to be completed by 7/1. The merger adds 7,000 new providers into the United Healthcare network and 6,000 into the Oxford Freedom network.
We will continue to provide you with information about the merger as it becomes available. Please note that this does not apply to the Liberty network.
Quick Fact Corner
NJ has become the first state in the nation to impose a mandatory 6% tax on certain cosmetic surgery procedures. The tax applies to procedures performed “in order to improve the human subject’s appearance without significantly serving to prevent or treat illness or disease or to promote proper functioning of the body.” Among those procedures considered taxable are: cosmetic injections, hair transplants, laser hair removal, cosmetic soft tissue fillers and cosmetic dentistry. For more information please visit:
http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/index.html?cosmetic.htm~mainFrame
Test Your Benefits Knowledge
Does an Employer have an obligation to include Cobra participants in their annual benefits open enrollment?
Last Week’s Question:
Can a person have both Cobra and Medicare at the same time?
Answer: This is somewhat of a trick question! The answer depends on when the person became entitled (i.e. covered under) Medicare. If someone is covered under Medicare before their Cobra qualifying event then it is permissible for them to be covered under both Cobra and Medicare simultaneously. On the other hand, if a person elects Cobra and subsequently becomes entitled to Medicare their Cobra coverage will terminate once Medicare becomes effective.