Jul 22, 2020 | Legislative Updates
On July 21, 2020, the IRS issued Revenue Procedure 2020-36 to index the contribution percentages in 2021 for determining affordability of an employer’s plan under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
For plan years beginning in 2021, employer-sponsored coverage will be considered affordable if the employee’s required contribution for self-only coverage does not exceed:
- 9.83% of the employee’s household income for the year, for purposes of both the pay or play rules and premium tax credit eligibility; and
- 8.27% of the employee’s household income for the year, for purposes of an individual mandate exemption (adjusted under separate guidance). Although this penalty was reduced to zero in 2019, some individuals may need to claim an exemption for other purposes.
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Jun 10, 2020 | Legislative Updates
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) imposes a fee on health insurance issuers and self-insured plan sponsors in order to fund comparative effectiveness research. These fees are widely known as Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fees, and were originally scheduled to expire for plan or policy years ending on or after Oct. 1, 2019. However, a federal spending bill enacted at the end of 2019 extended the PCORI fees for an additional 10 years. (more…)
May 21, 2020 | Legislative Updates
On May 20, 2020, the IRS released Revenue Procedure 2020-32 to provide the inflation-adjusted limits for health savings accounts (HSAs) and high deductible health plans (HDHPs) for 2021. The IRS is required to publish these limits by June 1 of each year. (more…)
Jan 21, 2020 | Legislative Updates
A federal spending bill enacted at the end of 2019 included several provisions affecting benefit plans. The bill repealed three major taxes and fees under the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—the Cadillac tax, the medical devices excise tax and the health insurance providers fee.
The law also extended the PCORI fees for an additional 10 years. These fees will continue to apply for the 2020-2029 fiscal years. (more…)
Dec 23, 2019 | Legislative Updates
On Dec. 20, 2019, President Trump signed into law a spending bill that prevents a government shutdown and repeals the following three taxes and fees under the Affordable Care Act (ACA):
- The Cadillac tax on high-cost group health coverage, beginning in 2020;
- The medical devices excise tax, beginning in 2020; and
- The health insurance providers fee, beginning in 2021.
The law also extends PCORI fees to fiscal years 2020-2029. (more…)
Nov 18, 2019 | Legislative Updates
On Nov. 15, 2019, the Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Treasury (Departments) issued a proposed rule regarding transparency in coverage that would impose new transparency requirements on group health plans and health insurers in the individual and group markets. Specifically, the proposed rule would require plans and issuers to disclose:
- Cost-sharing estimates to participants, beneficiaries and enrollees upon request; and
- In-network provider-negotiated rates and historical out-of-network allowed amounts on their website.
The proposals would only apply to non-grandfathered coverage, and would also apply to self-insured group health plan sponsors.
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