The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently published a proposed rule that would revise several benefit and payment parameters under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for the 2022 benefit year. While the proposed changes primarily impact insurers and Exchanges, it’s important to consider that some provisions could also …
Supreme Court Upholds Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) as it exists today, will remain in place. On June 17, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in a 7-2 ruling after several arguments challenging the constitutionality of the ACA were brought forth to the court. The Supreme Court determined …
EEOC Withdraws Proposed Wellness Program Incentives
Previously issued in January 2021, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has withdrawn two proposed rules regarding wellness programs under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). Upon President Joe Biden’s inauguration, held on January 20, 2021, the president issued a regulatory freeze memorandum …
IRS Provides Additional Codes for Individual Coverage HRAs Under Section 6056
For plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2020, employers may offer HRAs integrated with individual health insurance coverage or Medicare, subject to certain conditions. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently provided two additional codes from Code Series 1 that can be used on Form 1095-C, line 14, for …
DOL Increases Civil Penalty Amounts for 2021
To maintain their deterrent effect each year, the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, requires the Department to annually adjust its civil monetary penalty levels for inflation no later than January 15th. The Department of Labor (DOL) has released its 2021 inflation-adjusted civil monetary penalties that may be …
2021 ACA Reporting Deadlines Are Approaching
Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting deadlines are approaching soon under Section 6055 and Section 6056 for the 2020 calendar year. Reporting entities must: File returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by March 1, 2021. If filing electronically, the deadline to file returns is March 31, 2021; and Furnish statements …
Supreme Court to Challenge ACA Again in New Term
On March 2, 2020, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a third major challenge to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) after rulings in two other major cases confronted core previsions of the healthcare law. The court agreed to hear the case in its new term which begins in October 2020. …
No Statute of Limitations Applies for ACA Pay or Play Penalties
On February 21, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Office of Chief Counsel released a memorandum clarifying that there is no applicable statute of limitations on pay or play penalty assessments under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Meaning, there is no time limit for the IRS to assess penalties for …
PCORI Fees Extended for Another 10 Years
Not only did the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, signed into law on December 20th, repeal three taxes under the Affordable Care Act; the law also extends payment of PCORI fees for the next ten years (2020 through 2029). The ACA created the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to help patients, …
Three ACA Taxes Repealed & Federal Appeals Court Ruling
On Friday, December 20th, President Trump signed H.R. 1865 into law, the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020, which included a full repeal of three taxes originally imposed by the Affordable Care Act (ACA): Repeal of the Cadillac Tax beginning in 2020, which would have imposed a 40% excise tax …
E-Filing 1094-C Forms: Five Tips for Better E-Filing
The deadline for e-Filing 1094-C forms is coming up on June 30. In theory, e-Filing should accelerate the submission of these Affordable Care Act forms, but the reality we have observed is that many Applicable Large Employers are having difficulty filing forms electronically. The lesson here for employers is that …