On December 20, 2019, President Donald Trump signed into law the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Act). After years of delayed effective dates, the Act finally repeals the 40% excise tax on high-cost health...more
In the much anticipated decision State of Texas v. United States of America, et al., the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld a district court ruling that the individual mandate under the Affordable Care Act (ACA)...more
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released IRS Notice 2019-63, which provides a 30-day automatic extension to furnish to employees/covered individuals the 2019 IRS Forms 1095-B (Health Coverage) and 1095-C...more
As we look forward to 2020, we bring you a few key takeaways on the hot topics and trends that individuals operating in the employee benefits space are watching in health and welfare, plan sponsor considerations, executive...more
Now that spring has arrived, thoughts turn to the design, communication, and eventual implementation of next year’s health and welfare benefits. Reviewing and drafting open enrollment communication materials can help address...more
Judge John Bates of the US District Court for the District of Columbia recently struck down two parts of the US Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) final regulations on Association Health Plans (AHPs). On March 28, Judge Bates...more
While plan sponsors of group health plans breathed a little easier this year-end, there are still important action items and reminders to consider as we look to 2016....more
1/5/2016
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Cadillac Tax ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Filing Deadlines ,
Form 1095 ,
Health and Welfare Plans ,
IRS ,
Large Employer ,
PCORI ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Time Extensions
Employers should note upcoming cafeteria plan design changes that require an amendment no later than December 31, 2014 and other upcoming 2015 action items....more
The one-year transition rule expires on September 22, 2014.
The final regulations under the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Enforcement Rules as amended by HITECH, make several changes, including modifying the...more
Plan sponsors now have the final piece of the puzzle needed to finalize their 2015 pay-or-play strategies.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury recently issued the highly...more
2/26/2014
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employee Definition ,
Full-Time Employees ,
IRS ,
New Hires ,
Part-Time Employees ,
Pay or Play ,
Safe Harbors ,
Shared Responsibility Rule ,
Transition Relief ,
U.S. Treasury
Group health plan sponsors turn their attention to completing 2013 tasks, implementing upcoming 2014 changes, preparing for the ACA Shared Responsibility requirement in 2015, and documenting recent extensive plan changes....more
12/19/2013
/ Affordable Care Act ,
COBRA ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Flexible Spending Accounts ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
Healthcare ,
HRA ,
Mental Health Parity Rule ,
MHPAEA ,
Reporting Requirements ,
W-2 ,
Wellness Programs ,
Year-End Planning
Modifications to the rules require action by group health plan sponsors and their vendors, including revisions to policies and procedures and new privacy notices.
On January 17, the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S....more
1/28/2013
/ Business Associates ,
Data Breach ,
Data Protection ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Electronic Medical Records ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
HIPAA Omnibus Rule ,
HITECH Act ,
Notifications ,
Personally Identifiable Information ,
PHI