On January 31, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published its proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2021. The proposed rule explains the benefit and payment parameters under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). If finalized, the provisions included in the proposed rule would apply for …
SOTU and the Employee Benefits Market
On February 4, 2020, President Donald Trump delivered the 2020 State of the Union Address (SOTU) to a joint session of Congress. A series of topics were presented including private healthcare, federal paid family leave and prescription drug cost reform. These items have already made significant impacts on the employee’ …
U.S. Supreme Court Denies Motion to Expedite ACA Case
On January 21, 2020, the United States Supreme Court denied motions to expedite consideration of Texas v. Azar, the lawsuit which challenged the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) individual mandate. The decision to deny expediting the case follows a United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit …
ACA Reporting Deadlines Are Approaching
Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting deadlines are approaching soon under Section 6055 and Section 6056 for the 2019 calendar year. Reporting entities must: File returns with the Internal Revenue System (IRS) by February 28, 2020 if filing on paper (or March 31, 2020 if filing electronically); and Furnish 2019 Forms …
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Three ACA Taxes Repealed & Federal Appeals Court Ruling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 …
Final Forms for 2019 ACA Reporting Have Been Released
On December 9, 2019, the IRS released final 2019 forms and instructions for reporting under Internal Revenue Code Sections 6055 and 6056. These forms and instructions require certain employers to provide information to the IRS about their health plan coverage. While similar to the 2018 versions, it is important to …
ACA Health Insurance Fee Will Increase in 2020
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) imposes an annual, non-deductible fee on the health insurance sector, allocated across the industry according to market share. The applicable amount in the past for each fee year was: $8 billion for calendar year 2014; $11.3 billion for calendar years 2015 and 2016; $13.9 billion …
House Votes to Repeal Cadillac Tax
On July 17, 2019, the House passed a bill that would repeal the currently inactive Cadillac tax. The tax is an unpopular provision of the ACA, which is scheduled to take effect in 2022. The Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act of 2019 would repeal the Cadillac tax before …
What If the Employer Mandate Is Repealed?
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires applicable large employers (ALEs) to offer affordable, minimum value health coverage to their full-time employees in order to avoid possible penalties. Because this employer mandate has been criticized as burdensome for employers and an impediment to business growth, it seems likely that its repeal …
Affordability Percentages Will Decrease For 2018
On May 5, 2017, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Revenue Procedure 2017-36 to index the contribution percentages in 2018 for purposes of determining affordability of an employer’s plan under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). For plan years beginning in 2018, employer-sponsored coverage will be considered affordable if the employee’s required contribution for self-only coverage does …
The Presidential Election and the Affordable Care Act
Interesting times…. The Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) and its volumes of regulations have been the law of the land since 2010. Implementation was sometimes messy (the exchange websites), confusing (1095-C coding), and unreliable (late December extensions of filing deadlines). However, it is the law, and employers have spent billions of dollars to …
3 Tips for Filing Appeals to Marketplace Letters
By: Macee Keelan These past few weeks, we’ve been getting phone calls from clients who are receiving Marketplace letters. These are letters from the government that notify employers that they have not complied with the Employer Mandate. Typical violations are that the health insurance coverage offered to an employee was …
Affordable Care Act (ACA) Reporting: Avoid COBRA and Controlled Groups Classification Challenges
At Creative Benefits, helping employers with Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting is a top priority. During these early days of the ACA, employers have a steep learning curve. Creative Benefits consultants support clients as they learn how to comply with the new laws and help avoid common potholes. To that …
Affordable Care Act (ACA) Reporting for 2015: Final Thoughts and Tips
All of us at Creative Benefits send our best wishes for a healthy and happy 2016! The IRS gave all of us a holiday gift — it extended all of the filing deadlines for the ACA reporting. The new deadline for applicable large employers (ALEs) to provide forms to their …