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Employee Benefit News for School, City and County Employers

Steve Smith

Steve Smith is a powerhouse of energy, living by the mantra "work hard, play hard." As an expert in uniting teams for a greater purpose, Steve's innovative and creative strategies in employee health and wellness are game-changers. With over 25 years of expertise in health insurance, covering compliance, cost mitigation, utilization, analytics, wellness plans, and strategic planning, Steve is the go-to expert for driving down utilization trends and fostering a culture of well-being. His clients trust him to deliver exceptional results, making him an invaluable asset in the industry. As an Employee Benefits Consultant, Steve specializes in health care consulting for Minnesota public sector organizations including fully insured, self-insured, and stop-loss plans. Steve is a licensed insurance agent and holds the designations for Managed Healthcare Professional (The Health Insurance Association of America), Certified Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Professional (National Association of Health Underwriters), and Group Benefits Disability Specialist (Hartford School of Insurance).

Recent Articles by Steve Smith

Telehealth Utilization Increase 7,000% During Pandemic

1.5 minute read

A report by FAIR Health finds that telehealth usage grew by more than 7,000% during the first year of the pandemic. In 2020, utilization of traditional health care services dropped,...

Mental Health and Well-Being in the Workplace

5 minute read

Well-being is the overall state of employees’ physical, mental, social, and financial health, which can be influenced by various workplace dynamics including workload, co-worker...

FAQs on Tax Credits for Employee Leave Under FFCRA and ARPA

1 minute read

The IRS issued four new FAQs on tax credits for employee paid leave taken under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The new FAQs...

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2022 Health Plan Compliance Deadlines

.5 minute read

When it comes to your employer-sponsored group health plan, public sector employers have numerous reporting and disclosure requirements that must be met throughout the year.

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PCORI Fee Adjusted for 2022

1 minute read

The Internal Revenue Service issued Notice 2020-04, which increases PCORI fees for plan years ending on or after October 2021, and before October 1, 2022. This fee is imposed on health...

Employee Benefit Plan Limits for 2022

2 minute read

Many employee benefits are subject to annual dollar limits which are periodically updated for inflation by the IRS. Most of the limits will increase, although some limits remain the...

Final Forms for 2021 ACA Reporting

2 minute read

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released the final forms for 2021 reporting under Sections 6055 and 6056.

2022 ACA Compliance Checklist

3 minute read

Public sector organizations with group health plans should be aware of changes to Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements that take effect in 2022.

The HIPAA Privacy Rule and COVID-19 Vaccine Inquiries

1.5 minute read

The Department of Health and Human Services issued FAQs on the application of the HIPAA Privacy Rule regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and the workplace.

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Broker Compensation Disclosure Rule

1.5 minute read

Beginning December 27, 2021, as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), covered service providers (CSPs) like insurance brokers and consultants must disclose all...