On Dec. 21, 2020, Congress passed H.R. 133, a $900 billion stimulus bill that includes emergency economic relief, government funding and tax cuts. The bill also includes the No Surprises Act, a ban on surprise medical bills, which will take effect beginning in 2022. The bill is expected to be signed into law by President Donald Trump. Read more…
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has made a number of significant changes to group health plans since the law was enacted in 2010. Since that time, a number of changes have been made to various ACA requirements that employers and plan sponsors should be aware of. It is important for employers to periodically review their benefit plans in order to maintain compliance with these various requirements. (more…)
On Oct. 29, 2020, the Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Treasury (Departments) issued a final rule regarding transparency in coverage that imposes new transparency requirements on group health plans and health insurers in the individual and group markets. These provisions only apply to non-grandfathered coverage, including both insured and self-insured group health plan sponsors. (more…)
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) imposes a dollar limit on employees’ salary reduction contributions to health flexible spending accounts (FSAs) offered under cafeteria plans. This dollar limit is indexed for cost-of-living adjustments and may be increased each year.
On Oct. 27, 2020, the IRS released Revenue Procedure 2020-45 (Rev. Proc. 20-45), which announced that the health FSA dollar limit on employee salary reduction contributions will remain at $2,750 for taxable years beginning in 2021. It also includes annual inflation-adjusted numbers for 2021 for a number of other tax provisions. (more…)
The Department of Labor (DOL), through its Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), has released a new model Employer CHIP Notice with information current as of July 31, 2020. (more…)
On Aug. 17, 2020, a federal district court granted an injunction blocking a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regulation that would have allowed health care and insurance discrimination based on sex stereotyping, gender identity and pregnancy-related conditions. (more…)