Media Mentions
2011
“The Most Tax-Savvy Use of a Health Savings Account”
Forbes, November 21, 2011
Susan Nash explained that that employees at companies with health savings accounts need to get used to high-deductible health plans by paying out-of-pocket for health expenses using tax-advantaged HSA funds up to the deductible limit. “It’s a different mindset writing a check for $300 instead of $20 [with an HMO or PPO health plan],” she said.
Susan M. Nash, Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Benefit Plans
“Last Chance: Orthodontia or Lasik Up to 40% Off”
Forbes, October 20, 2011
Susan Nash advised that most employers limit employee healthcare flexible spending account contributions to between $3,500 and $5,000 pretax a year, with some limits as high as $8,000 – all well as above the $2,500 limit that begins in 2013. She noted, however, that at employers with high deductible health insurance plans, a limited purpose FSA may only work once that deductible is met.
Susan M. Nash, Employee Benefits
“Past Gazing, Future Facing”
Employee Benefit News, March 2011
Susan Nash advised employers dealing with new regulatory provisions of the health reform act to “[t]ake a deep breath after last fall, when there were so many pieces of guidance issued in such a short time frame. There's not a lot that goes into effect in 2012, so it's really going to be more clean up of what they already have issued.” She suggested that the government “did drop the ball on defining essential health benefits, [which would] help employers determine whether annual limits are applicable to certain benefits.” Although it is difficult to determine levels for 2011 plans now, Ms. Nash added that HHS “has promised to have these [definitions] out before next year, hopefully before July 1 plan years.”
Susan M. Nash, Employee Benefits, Health Care Law Reform
2010
“New Rules for Preventive Care”
HR Magazine, November 1, 2010
Susan Nash explained that the health care reform act’s requirement that employers offer new preventive care services involves “some room for interpretation.” For example, she asked, must smoking cessation or obesity screening programs cover just counseling, or also treatment – “in other words, can you put parameters around it?” The lack of such parameters is troubling, Ms. Nash added, because the list of required services “is more extensive than what most plans already cover,” so “it’s not simply a matter of removing the co-pay or dollar limit on those benefits.”
Susan M. Nash, Employee Benefits, Health Care Law Reform
"Big Changes Coming To Your Medical FSA"
Forbes, October 15, 2010
Susan Nash was quoted regarding a 1/1/2013 change in the rules for employers’ medical Flexible Spending Accounts, which will limit employee contributions to $2,500 a year. Currently there is no legal limit on contributions and many employers set limits at $5,000 or higher. “These accounts are just going to become a lot less useful to people than they were in the past” because of the rule change, Ms. Nash said.
Susan M. Nash, Employee Benefits
Susan Nash was quoted in a June 1 Employee Benefits News story on the impact that the health reform law will have on employers. She noted that "many employers have already implemented some of the newly mandated benefit requirements [but] I think where you will see changes that need to be made are in the areas of dependent eligibility rules and the annual and lifetime limits, because I don't think a lot of employers have done away with those." Ms. Nash said that "for most large companies, offering medical benefits is a very good retention and recruitment tool, and I'm sure they'll find ways within the plan design to achieve cost saving," but she added that there will be time pressure to achieve compliance with the new law: "Unfortunately in the benefits world there's not a lot of lead time. You really need to start redesigning your plans now." Click here for the full article.
Susan Nash commented on April 15 for Best’s Insurance News about a new $5 billion fund in the health reform law to help employers provide health care benefits to early retirees who do not yet qualify for Medicare. Ms. Nash likened the fund to the “Cash for Clunkers” program, because “once the $5 billion is exhausted, it’s over.” She stated that it’s “kind of hard to believe” the fund will be up and running by its June 23 target date, and added that “there’s going to have to be a dialog between employers and insurance companies” on how to access money from the fund.
Susan M. Nash, Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Benefit Plans
Susan Nash commented for Tax Tricks for Kids on January 31 about a tax code feature that allows parents to divert up to $5,000 a year in pre-tax income into an account to pay for dependent child care. Ms. Nash said that some employers cut off funding below $5,000 because of an IRS rule designed to ensure that low-income as well as high-income employees use the accounts. “That tends to make highly paid people angry at year-end,” she said, because they find they cannot shelter the full $5,000 deduction.
Susan M. Nash, Employee Benefits
2009
Susan Nash was quoted in Business Week on July 16 concerning legislation proposed in Congress that would require employers to offer health insurance benefits to their employees or pay a fine. Ms. Nash suggested that companies may prefer to pay fines for part-time employees rather than incur the cost of insuring them. But, she said, “there is a hugely paternalistic culture among employers in this country when it comes to health benefits,” given that most companies with 50 or more employees offer them. Ironically, Ms. Nash added, companies with 25 or fewer employees would be exempt from fines, and “the bulk of the uninsured are in those small companies.”
Susan M. Nash, Employee Benefits
2007
Susan Nash was mentioned in Business Wire on May 4 in regards to speaking at the HSA 2007, a national conference in Chicago, a forum for employers looking to save money on health care.
Susan M. Nash, Consumer-Driven Health Care, Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Benefit Plans
2006
Susan Nash was quoted in the June 28 issue of Forbes.com in an article about the U.S. Internal Revenue Service proposing comprehensive, long-delayed rules for claiming dependent care tax breaks that will mean more savings for some working parents and less for others. "Employers are going to want to communicate the changes to employees, and employees need to pay attention so they put the right amount of money aside," warned Ms. Nash.
Susan M. Nash, Employee Benefits, Tax
2004
Susan Nash was quoted in the April issue of CFO magazine in regard to an increase of voluntary benefits now offered by companies. Ms. Nash commented that voluntary benefit programs, such as life, health, disability insurance, etc. are great for vendors because they have easy access to employees.
