In efforts to ease consumers’ concerns about healthcare costs in light of the COVID-19 crisis, at least nine states have reopened their health insurance exchanges for uninsured residents to enroll in coverage. The response stems from the necessity for uninsured patients to be able to receive the medical care they …
Health insurance companies are taking action to ensure members have coverage for and access to needed testing as the new coronavirus strain, COVID-19, continues to spread across the United States. Carriers such as Aetna, Independence Blue Cross, Highmark, and Cigna are actively monitoring the spread of the virus; and diligently …
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. …
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 …
Since 2014, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has continuously extended a transition policy for certain health plans that do not comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This policy has been extended another year. Health insurance issuers have the option of renewing current polices for current enrollees …
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 …
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’ …
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 …
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 …
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, …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
