As of October 7th, hospitals will have 14 weeks to comply with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) requirement of including data elements about influenza patients to their daily COVID-19 reporting. According to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator, Seema Verma, hospitals will be receiving …
Last Friday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2020-76 to: Extend the due date for furnishing 2020 forms under Section 6055 and 6056 from February 1, 2021 to March 2, 2021; Provide a final extension of good-faith transition relief from penalties related to 2020 information reporting under Sections 6055 …
On September 24, 2020, President Trump issued an executive order that outlines a new plan for affordable, high-quality healthcare. The America First Healthcare Plan is aimed at protecting individuals with preexisting conditions and giving them access to care they can afford. The order directs the Departments of Health and Human …
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 …
