COVID-19 Impact for Health & Welfare Plans (Troutman Sanders and Pepper Hamilton COVID-19 Issues for Employers Podcast Series)
On July 4, 2025, Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) into law. Although most have focused on the sweeping tax reform included in the OBBB, a number of key employee benefits provisions are included in the...more
President Trump signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) on July 4, 2025. The telehealth safe harbor, which allowed first dollar coverage of telehealth services without impacting Health Savings Account (HSA)...more
In the context of medical coverage, the terms “Preventive Services” and “Preventive Care” are often used interchangeably. The two terms, however, have very different meanings. Understanding the difference can have significant...more
The IRS has announced the 2026 cost-of-living adjustments to the applicable dollar limits for health savings accounts (HSAs), high-deductible health plans (HDHPs), and excepted benefit health reimbursement arrangements...more
The Internal Revenue Service has released Rev. Proc. 2025-19 announcing the inflation-adjusted limits for high deductible health plans (HDHPs) and health savings accounts (HSAs) in 2026. The updated 2026 limits are as...more
After Congress declined to extend certain relief allowing first-dollar coverage of telehealth services by high-deductible health plans (HDHPs), health plan sponsors may need to make immediate changes to preserve employees’...more
During the COVID-19 crisis, newly-created relief allowed first dollar coverage for telehealth services under a high deductible health plan (HDHP) without ruining health savings account (HSA) eligibility. That relief was...more
On December 21, 2024, President Biden signed into law the American Relief Act, 2025 (2025 Relief Act), which funds the federal government through March 14, 2025, and provides certain disaster relief provisions and other...more
Employers providing health plan coverage through a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) may need to amend their HDHP before year-end to remove first-dollar telehealth coverage. Although prior regulatory relief permitted...more
The IRS recently issued Notices 2024-71 and 2024-75, which expand the list of “preventive care” benefits permitted to be provided by a high deductible health plan (HDHP) without a deductible and the list of benefits...more
The May Monthly Minute highlights litigation wins for plan fiduciaries in a 401(k) fee case and a wilderness therapy exclusion case, and also sets out the 2025 HSA, HDHP, and excepted benefit HRA COLA adjustments....more
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced (see Revenue Procedure 2024-25) cost-of-living adjustments to the applicable dollar limits for health savings accounts (HSAs), high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) and...more
After nearly three years of emergency measures related to COVID-19, the U.S. government acted this spring to officially end the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and the National Emergency. Accordingly, the Departments of...more
The Biden administration has announced its intent to end the COVID-19 National Emergency (NE) and the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) on May 11, 2023 (read our prior article for more information). In response to the...more
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 (2023 CAA) further extends the HSA safe harbor allowing high deductible health plans (HDHPs) to offer first dollar coverage of telehealth services without ruining HDHP members’...more
As we enter the fourth quarter of 2022, sponsors and administrators of employee benefit plans have a lot to juggle. From open enrollment and required notices to plan document deadlines, it is a busy time of year. Yet, there...more
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, signed into law on March 15, 2022, extended relief first made available at the start of the pandemic which allowed first dollar coverage for telehealth services under a high...more
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (the Act), was passed by the U.S. House and Senate on March 9th and 10th, 2022, and signed into law by the President on March 15, 2022. The Act extends certain telehealth...more
On December 27, 2020, President Trump signed the over $2 trillion omnibus appropriations and COVID-19 relief package, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (“Act”). The Act includes provisions funding the government...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The IRS announced the new rate for calculating the PCORI fee and provided some transition relief, but did not extend the deadline of July 31st for paying the fee. In May, the IRS issued Rev. Proc. 2020-32...more
In addition to serving as a viable option to reduce health care costs, a Health Savings Account (HSA) can positively affect your estate plan because its funds grow on a tax-deferred basis. An HSA is similar to a traditional...more
The Internal Revenue Service recently announced cost-of-living adjustments to the applicable dollar limits for health savings accounts and high-deductible health plans for 2021. Some of the dollar limits currently in effect...more
On May 20, 2020, in Revenue Procedure 2020-32, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced the annual contribution limits for 2021 for health savings accounts (HSA). The IRS also announced the 2021 definitional limits per...more
The IRS recently issued Notice 2020-29, allowing §125 cafeteria plans and high-deductible health plan (HDHP) changes during the remainder of 2020....more
On May 12, the IRS released Notices 2020-29 and 2020-33, which collectively provide various forms of relief under the existing IRC Section 125/129 rules in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. ...more