On September 18, 2020, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away at the age of 87. The loss of Justice Ginsburg has shaken the country and has led to a flood of questions regarding what comes next for the Court and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Whether the …
On September 13, 2020, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that aims to lower drug costs for Medicare recipients. The action comes nearly two months after the President signed a separate order, which directed the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take necessary steps to deliver lower …
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has recently updated its frequently asked questions (FAQs) to include increased pay or play penalty amounts for the 2021 calendar year. Since 2014, the applicable per-employee dollar amounts of $2,000 and $3,000 have been increased based on the premium adjustment percentage for the year. For …
The Supreme Court will hear arguments challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) one week after Election Day – on November 10, 2020. This will be the third time the Supreme Court has reviewed the ACA’s constitutionality since the law’s tenth anniversary of enactment in 2010. Background Back …
On July 24, 2020, President Donald Trump signed four executive orders directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take the necessary steps to deliver lower costs on prescription drugs for American patients, including insulin and epinephrine. The executive orders issued by the President include: Lowering Prices for …
On July 13, 2020, the IRS released 2020 draft Forms 1094-C and 1095-C. The drafts will be used by applicable large employers (ALEs) to report under Section 6056, as well as combined sections 6055 and 6056 for ALEs who sponsor self-insured plans. Draft instructions for Forms 1094-C and 1095-C have …
On July 10, 2020, the Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Treasury Departments issued a proposed rule intended to provide greater flexibility for grandfathered group health plans — which would include changes to certain cost-sharing requirements without losing grandfather status. The proposed rule would amend …
On July 8, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Treasury Department issued Notice 2020-54, requiring employers to report the amount of qualified sick and family leave wages paid to employees under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Employers will be required to report these amounts either …
On July 8, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld two regulations expanding exemptions from the contraceptive coverage mandate under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Under the regulations, plan sponsors that object to providing contraceptive coverage based on sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions will not be penalized for failing …
Due to the urgent need to help facilitate the nation’s response to the current public health emergency posed by COVID-19, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and the Treasury have provided answers to a second set of frequently asked questions (FAQs Part 43). This FAQ document provides guidance …
Direct Primary Care (DPC) continues to be an innovative approach to help reinvigorate primary care for doctors and patients. A direct primary care plan is a contract between an individual and one or more primary care physicians to provide medical care for a fixed fee without billing a third party. …
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) imposes a fee on health insurance issuers and plan sponsors of self-insured health plans to help fund the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). The PCORI fee was scheduled to expire for plan or policy years ending on or after October 1, 2019. However, a federal …
On May 20, 2020 the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Revenue Procedure 2020-32, which provides the inflation adjusted amounts for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) for the 2021 plan year. As cost of living expenses continue to rise, the IRS annually adjust the following amounts …
To assist with the issues presented by the Novel Coronavirus outbreak, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Notice 2020-29, which provides flexibility for mid-year election changes under a Section 125 cafeteria plan during 2020. This flexibility has been designed to encourage employers, who sponsor health flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and …
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, employees may be more likely to have unused funds in their health flexible spending accounts (FSAs) or dependent care assistance program (DCAP) accounts. Health FSAs and DCAPs are accounts individuals can make pre-tax contributions to, that are then used to pay for certain out-of-pocket …
