In a January 14, 2021 Fact Sheet entitled the American Rescue Plan, the Biden Administration announced their intent to expand healthcare coverage as a result of the still ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The key points for our purposes involve the expansion of premium subsidies under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) and the Affordable Care […]
Read More...Join us for this HRCI* and SHRM** pre-approved, complimentary, one-hour webinar as AssuredPartners’ General Counsel and SVP of Compliance, Patrick Haynes, summarizes the “year we’ll never forget” and the latest legislative updates. We will be exploring the judicial developments affecting employer group health and welfare plans, and walking through the myriad of cafeteria plan changes […]
Read More...Earlier this week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published finalized 2021 Benefit Payment Parameters with an $8,550 out-of-pocket maximum for self-only coverage and $17,100 for family coverage for health plans beginning in 2021. See, the 5/14/2020 Federal Register publication here. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), non-grandfathered health plans are required to […]
Read More...The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on Essential Health Benefit (EHB) coverage and the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), EHB reflects the scope of benefits covered by a typical employer and covers at least 10 specified categories of items and services. CMS’ FAQs: 1.Does […]
Read More...Author: Nathanael M. Alexander, Esq., Director of Compliance – AP Benefit Advisors On January 17, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published the updated Federal Poverty Level (FPL) guidelines for 2020. The revised FPL guidelines are effective as of January 15, 2020, with the new FPL level set at $12,670 for a person […]
Read More...Individual State Mandates (CA, DC, MA, NJ, RI, VT) How did we get here? The US Supreme Court ruled that the ACA individual mandate penalty (tax) was constitutional in 2012, and in December of 2017, Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which reduced the individual mandate penalty to zero as of January 1, […]
Read More...Topics include: IRS Offers Another Extension for 1094s and 1095s 2019 ACA Forms & Instructions Change in Benefits? A New SBC Template Will be Required for 2021 Are You an ALE for 2020? DOL Issues Model Health Care Transparency Disclosure Documents 2019 Year-End Round Up: ACA Changes – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly […]
Read More...On December 20, 2019, President Trump signed into law the 2020 Further Consolidated Appropriations Act—spending legislation which also included important changes for employer-sponsored health plans, repealing several taxes enacted as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and extending one. Here’s the roundup: Gone (the Good): The Cadillac Tax, HIT (Health Insurance Tax), Medical Device […]
Read More...The DOL (U.S. Department of Labor) audits of welfare benefit plans are happening with greater frequency for companies of all sizes. Are you ready to spend months preparing to comply with and survive the audit? Did you know the following can be the basis for a DOL Audit: Complaints by welfare benefit plan participants to […]
Read More...IRS Offers Another Extension for 1094s and 1095s A The IRS has, once again, come out with a holiday gift for employers. In the recently-released Notice 2019-63, the IRS provided additional reporting relief for employers for the 2019 calendar year. In short, the Notice provides: The due date to provide Forms 1095-C or 1095-B to […]
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