​The end of the year signifies many things for businesses, but especially the wrap up of another hopefully successful quarter. However, as every year comes to a close, it means new HR compliance deadlines to be aware of for the upcoming year. Therefore, to help organize your calendar, the professionals at Sackett & Associates Insurance Services have selected the seven most important dates of the 2020 calendar year.

​Have you selected your insurance coverage for 2020? If not, then you need to get on it because while open enrollment keeps getting extended for the Affordable Care Act compliance, the extensions won’t last forever. To help you narrow down your options, the professionals at Sackett and Associates Insurance Services have compiled a list of ten tips.

​Of the wealthy, developed nations in the world, the United States alone does not guarantee health care to its people. One in 10 Americans have no health coverage at all, and even for those who do have it, costs for health care are increasing. The United States' health care costs per capita is twice as much as other industrialized countries. Most Americans express support for plans to expand health coverage in public opinion polls. However, the health care debate has become somewhat muddied because the terms used to describe distinct proposals are often used interchangeably.

When the Affordable Care Act, sometimes called Obamacare, passed the United States Congress in 2010, it included an individual mandate requiring everyone in the United States to have health insurance coverage or pay a federal income tax penalty. The purpose was to lower premiums while ensuring that there was enough money available to cover the costs of the claims filed.

Flexible spending accounts are employer-owned accounts available to employees for healthcare-related spending. Employees can take advantage of these subsidies by indicating the total amount they’d like placed in the account at the beginning of the year, then using those pre-tax funds for copays, prescriptions and more. To cover the funds, employers withhold a portion of each paycheck. While this system allows individuals to access money for medical care when they need it, there is one drawback: Any funds left in the account by the end of the year are forfeited. This means that as the year draws to a close, you may want to use your remaining balance. Fortunately, there are many FSA eligible expenses you can take advantage of.

​It’s that time of year! As soon as October closes out and Halloween is over, Open Enrollment 2020 begins on November 1, 2019. Health insurance is important, but costs continue to rise. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) purports to make healthcare accessible to all and subsidies supplement the costs. It can be a confusing process, but here is what you need to know about subsidies and Covered California in 2020.