Posts by Al Schiebel

Time management affects a massive part of our lives, from how much we earn to how happy we are.

Learning to manage your time involves everything from your ability to hit big goals to how satisfied you are by the end of the day. Time management strategies can be helpful, but many miss the mark because they do nothing to address underlying habits and predispositions that lead to poor time management.

While the Pomodoro Technique or adding calendar blocks to your schedule can be worth trying, these approaches rely on us to add something new to our pattern of habits. They don’t redefine how to work with preexisting practices or rid people of deeply ingrained habits that frazzle us when we look at our to-do lists, miss deadlines, and show up unprepared for meetings.

By October 13, 2023, plan sponsors that offer prescription drug coverage must provide notices of creditable or non-creditable coverage to Medicare-eligible individuals. While plan sponsors are typically responsible for providing these notices by October 14^th every year, this year’s notice is due by October 13^th because the 14^th falls on a Saturday.

Creditable coverage is expected to cover, on average, at least as much as the standard Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, whereas non-creditable coverage falls below this threshold. Two methods are available to establish a prescription drug benefit’s creditability status: a simplified determination or an actuarial determination of credibility.

In today’s rapidly evolving work environment, staying competitive is not solely about attracting top talent but retaining it. 

How do you give your business and your team that competitive edge? Upskilling. 

Upskilling equips your employees with new skills and knowledge or enhances their current skillsets through training, certifications, or education. With upskilling, you enhance your employees’ capabilities and highlight your commitment and dedication to your team’s professional growth.

Many sponsors of fully insured health plans either already have or will soon receive checks from their insurance carriers, along with a notice informing them that the review is a medical loss ratio (MLR) rebate. Plan sponsors should receive these checks by September 30, 2023. The MLR rules implemented as part of health care reform are designed to ensure that insurance carriers spend no more than a specified percentage of premiums collected on overhead-type expenses. Carriers must issue a rebate check when this percentage is exceeded.

Leaders can sometimes feel the weight of the world on their shoulders as they face pressure to manage both the present and the future. They must perform and deliver short-term results in the present while prioritizing transformation and reimagining the company’s forward growth.

With the ongoing issue of Medicaid redetermination taking place across the nation, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Treasury, and the Department of Labor (collectively, the Agencies) are strongly encouraging group health plan sponsors to extend special enrollment periods for individuals who are losing coverage under Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This request is not mandatory for employers, and there are significant compliance considerations for employers that extend the enrollment window for this population.