Current and Past Articles

Prefer to listen instead of read? No problem! Listen to the blog post at any time by clicking here.    The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee established by the Affordable Care Act helps fund research to evaluate and compare health outcomes, clinical effectiveness, risks, and benefits of medical treatment and services. The fee is currently in place through 2029. In Notice 2024-83, the IRS announced that the PCORI fee for plan years ending between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025, is $3.47. This is an increase from the $3.22 payment for policy or plan years that ended between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024.   Employers and plan sponsors with self-funded plans are typically responsible for submitting IRS Form 720 and paying the PCORI fee by July 31 of the calendar year immediately following the last day of the plan year, meaning that payments for plan years that end in 2024 will be due in July of 2025.  PCORI fees for self-funded plans are assessed on all covered lives, not just on employees. Plan sponsors can use one of three methods to calculate the average number of covered lives for the fee: the actual count method, the snapshot method, and the Form 5500 method. Many fully insured employers do not need to take any action, as the insurer will submit the payment on their behalf. However, remember that fully insured employers with self-funded HRAs must pay the fee for each employee covered under the account.    2024 PCORI Filing Fee Calendar  Plan or Policy Year  PCORI Filing Fee  February 2023 – January 2024  $3.22  March 2023 – February 2024  $3.22  April 2023 – March 2024  $3.22  May 2023 – April 2024  $3.22  June 2023 – May 2024  $3.22  July 2023 – June 2024  $3.22  August 2023 – July 2024  $3.22  September 2023 – August 2024  $3.22  October 2023 – September 2024  $3.22  November 2023 – October 2024  $3.47  December 2023 – November 2024  $3.47  January 2024 – December 2024  $3.47   

Prefer to listen instead of read? No problem! Listen to the blog post by clicking here.      Learning doesn’t stop when we finish school; it’s a lifelong process that fuels both personal and professional success. Incorporating learning into your daily work routine can enhance your confidence, improve your performance, and keep you ahead in your career. While continuous learning may sound daunting, it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming or like another task on your to-do list. When integrated into your and your employees’ daily routine, it can fuel personal growth and success in small, manageable steps.

Prefer to listen instead of read? No problem! Listen to the blog post by clicking here.      The landscape of employee benefits is evolving, shaped by workforce demographics, technological advancements, and changing priorities. Companies must keep up with benefits trends to stay competitive in employee hiring and retention. Employee benefits trends for 2025 are about meeting and exceeding expectations by creating thoughtful, personalized, and impactful benefits packages.    Here’s a look at the key trends defining employee benefits in 2025. 

Prefer to listen instead of read? No problem! Listen to the blog post by clicking here.      Employee benefits help employees feel valued and supported, balance work and personal life, boost mental and physical wellness, and provide support during times of need.    Benefits for 2024 trended toward what is termed “The Big Stay” or “The Great Stay.” This means fewer employees voluntarily left their jobs in 2024, with the quit rate in the United States standing at 1.9%, compared to The Great Resignation at the beginning of the pandemic when the quit rate stood at about 4.5 million employees leaving their jobs monthly.   This article examines key employee benefits statistics from 2024, breaking down what these numbers reveal about employee needs and organizational priorities. 

  The Internal Revenue Service recently issued Revenue Procedure 2024-40, which establishes various 2025 tax-related limits that have been adjusted for inflation. The table below identifies updates to the 2025 health and fringe benefit plans addressed in this notice. The health flexible spending account (health FSA) employee contribution limit, carryover limit, and maximum qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangement (QSEHRA) employer contribution are annual amounts that apply once a plan starts/renews in 2025.1 The adoption assistance program limit is an annual maximum that applies for the 2025 calendar year, while the transportation benefit is a monthly threshold that also applies for the 2025 calendar year.   Benefit  2024  2025  Maximum Employee Contribution to a Health FSA  $3,200  $3,300  Health FSA Carryover Limit  $640  $660  Adoption Assistance Program  $16,810  $17,280  Maximum Annual Employer Contribution to a QSEHRA  $6,150 (self-only coverage)  $12,450 (family coverage)  $6,350 (self-only coverage)  $12,800 (family coverage)  Maximum Monthly Benefit for Qualified Transit Passes, Van Pool Services, and Qualified Parking  $315  $325   

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