VEChannel Event Profile

Open Enrollment 2006: Compliance Challenges and What to Do About Them

For cafeteria plans, health and dental plans, health FSAs, DCAPs, and HSAs, the annual open enrollment process presents many legal and practical compliance challenges. In this fastpaced 90minute teleweb, well discuss many of the challenges you face and our experts will provide practical advice. Heres some of what well cover: Open enrollment procedures: Are plans required to have an annual open enrollment period? Open enrollment materials and communications with employees: What should be included in the open enrollment package? Who gets one and how should it be distributed? What must the SPD say about open enrollment? How to respond to individual requests for information, and how to use the open enrollment package to satisfy annual notice requirements under various laws. Insurance issues: What to do when rates and insurance booklets arrive late; traps to avoid when changing insurers or coverage (e.g., COBRA concerns); communicating the terms of the new coverage. Cafeteria plan issues: When do elections become effective and when do salary reductions start? What to include in enrollment materials about the 21/2 month grace period for health FSAs and DCAPs; what to do about late or mistaken elections; what to do about employees on leave; whether to use automatic or negative elections. COBRA and HIPAA issues: How to handle COBRA qualified beneficiaries in open enrollment; annual enrollment and HIPAAs special enrollment rules. Questions & Answers: You may email your questions on open enrollment to teleweb@ebia.com by September 19, 2005. About Your Speakers Virginia Briggs, Esq. and Brigid Carroll Anderson, Esq. Ms. Briggs is the Editor of EBIAs ERISA Compliance for Health & Welfare Plans manual. Both Ms. Briggs and Ms. Anderson are Contributing Authors of that manual. System Requirements: Attendees must have a telephone to hear the seminar speakers (we provide a tollfree number) and a Web connection to view the slide presentation. A PDF copy of the slides will be available for download the morning of the seminar. Seminar Fee: For one registration fee ($195), you and your coworkers can gather in one office or conference room to attend the seminar together via a single Web and telephone connection.

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