News
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News
Employers Should Start Preparing for 2025 RxDC Reporting
Group health plans and health insurance issuers must submit detailed information on prescription drug and health care spending to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on an annual basis. This reporting is referred to as the “prescription drug data collection” (or “RxDC report”). The next RxDC report is […]
Spring Checklist
Punxsutawney Phil decreed 6 more weeks of winter about 5 weeks ago, so if you haven’t already, it’s time to get ready for spring—and here are some tips and resources to help! Horse Health VaccinesTypical annual care vaccines throughout the US include Rabies, Tetanus, WNV (West Nile Virus) and EEE/VEE […]
NYS Managed Care Organization Tax
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently approved New York’s Managed Care Organization tax (MCO), effective January 1, 2025. This new tax on health plans, authorized by the NYS 2025 Budget, aims to enhance state Medicaid funding. The tax will apply at varying rates based on plan type […]
Cyber Insurance for the Construction Industry: Why It’s Worth the Investment
In a recent Travelers Insurance Group construction industry survey, participants ranked cyber threats as their top concern for the fourth time in six years. Despite these concerns, contractors still lag behind when it comes to either purchasing Cyber Insurance or being proactive in fighting Cyber incidents. Despite 80% of respondents […]
Changes to ACA Reporting Rules for 2025
This article is of interest to Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) – generally those with 50 or more full-time employees (including full-time equivalent employees). Under the ACA’s employer shared responsibility (“Pay or Play”) provisions, large employers may be subject to a penalty if they do not offer affordable coverage that provides […]
2025 New Year’s Resolution – Get Horse Insurance!
For many of us, 2024 has been a wild ride. So after taking a collective sigh of relief, let’s get started making a plan for 2025! If the last few years have taught us anything, it is to prepare for the unexpected. That being said, no one wants to hang […]
New York Employers Should Prepare for New Labor Laws Starting January 1, 2025
New York employers should begin to prepare for important new labor laws that will take effect on January 1, 2025. Wage and Hour Increases Effective January 1, 2025 New York City, Westchester, and Long Island The general minimum wage rate will increase to $16.50 per hour. Additionally, the minimum salary […]
Federal Court Vacates DOL’s Final Overtime Rule Nationwide
On Nov. 15, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas vacated the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) final rule to amend current requirements that employees in white-collar occupations must satisfy to qualify for an overtime exemption under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This ruling sets […]
Winter Equine Safety
For many of us, winter brings with it a not quite delightful menu of snow, ice, mud, and cold temperatures, all of which lead to unique horse management challenges. Consider the following scenarios to ensure you and your horse have a safe and healthy winter season. Scenario #1 – The […]
Understanding Insurable Interest in Horse Insurance Policies: Leases, Horses on Trial, Purchases over Time Insurance Policies
Leases, Horses on Trial, Purchases over Time The concept of insurable interest is a common topic in equine insurance, especially when clients are working on insuring a horse that they lease, are taking on trial, or purchasing over time. In a nutshell, for a party to have an insurable interest […]
2025 FSA Limit Increase and Other Indexed Benefit Figures
Annually, the Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration release cost-of-living adjustments that apply to dollar limitations set forth in certain IRS Code Sections. The Consumer Price Index warranted increases in some benefits figures for 2025—for a full summary and charts of key 2025 figures that are of interest to […]
Marshall+Sterling Acquires FitzGibbons Agency
Marshall & Sterling Enterprises, Inc., has acquired the assets of FitzGibbons Agency LLC, a third-generation independent insurance agency serving the Oswego and Onondaga communities. The agency was previously owned by Pathfinder Bank and John FitzGibbons. “With this acquisition, we further solidify our strong presence in upstate New York,” said Marshall+Sterling […]