Seyfarth Synopsis: The IRS has announced an increase to the applicable dollar amount for determining the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (“PCORI”) Fee for 2024 as well as other health and welfare limits....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: In August, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals revived a challenge by Airlines for America (“A4A”), to San Francisco’s Healthy Airport Ordinance (the “Ordinance”), which requires airlines that use the San...more
10/17/2023
/ Airline Employees ,
Airlines ,
Aviation Industry ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Employees ,
Employment Policies ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Preemption ,
San Francisco
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) requires group health plans and insurers to cover treatments for mental health and substance use disorders in a manner that is equitable to the...more
8/22/2023
/ Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
EBSA ,
Employee Benefits ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Mental Health ,
Mental Health Parity Rule ,
MHPAEA ,
NQTLs ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Proposed Rules ,
U.S. Treasury
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) requires group health plans and insurers to cover treatments for mental health and substance use disorders in a manner that is equitable to the...more
8/22/2023
/ Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Mental Health ,
MHPAEA ,
NQTLs ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Proposed Rules ,
Safe Harbors ,
U.S. Treasury
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) requires group health plans and insurers to cover treatments for mental health and substance use disorders in a manner that is equitable to the...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: In light of the end of the COVID-19 National Emergency and Public Health Emergency, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) has announced the end of prior COVID-19-related special rules for health plan...more
7/13/2023
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Benefits ,
HDHP ,
Health Insurance ,
Health Savings Accounts ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) ,
IRS ,
Public Health ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Virus Testing
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (“CAA”) contains a requirement that that group health plans may not have agreements with service providers that would restrict certain information that the plan may...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Biden Administration has announced that the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) and COVID-19 National Emergency (NE) will expire May 11, 2023....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Recently the U.S. Treasury Department (Treasury) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued regulations (the “Final Regulations”) which finalized previously proposed relief for furnishing Forms 1095-B and...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The IRS has announced an increase to the applicable dollar amount for determining the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (“PCORI”) Fee for 2023 as well as other health and welfare limits....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Recently, on October 11, 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued final regulations which finalized changes to affordability of employer coverage for the family members of employees under Internal...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: With staggered effective dates continuing over the course of the next several years, the No Surprises Act (NSA) and Transparency in Coverage requirements impose a number of additional compliance...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The IRS has announced adjustments decreasing the affordability threshold for plan years beginning in 2023, which may cause employers to have to pay more for ACA compliant coverage in 2023....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The IRS has announced adjustments decreasing the affordability threshold and increasing employer shared responsibility payments for plan years beginning in 2022....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Since March 18, 2020, group health plans have been required to provide benefits for certain items and services related to testing for or diagnosis of COVID-19 during the applicable emergency period - see...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The IRS has announced the adjustment to the applicable dollar amount for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (“PCORI”) Fee for 2022....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The IRS has released final instructions for completing Forms 1094-C and 1095-C for 2021. Notably the instructions provide that the due date for furnishing Form 1095-C to individuals is extended to March 2,...more
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently released 2022 cost-of-living adjustments applicable to dollar limitations for employer-sponsored health and welfare plans and retirement plans....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The IRS has attempted to provide clarity (following the DOL’s earlier attempt) on how the coronavirus Outbreak Period will work and how it applies to COBRA election and premium payment deadlines, in Notice...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury (the “Departments”) have issued FAQs which address certain provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Title I (No Surprises Act) and...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The EEOC has released anticipated guidance (found here) related to the COVID-19 pandemic and what employers can and cannot do (“Updated Guidance”). The Updated Guidance provides guidance on 4 main topics:...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”), which requires plan sponsors to provide free COBRA coverage from April 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021, to...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On February 26, 2021, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury (collectively, the Departments) jointly issued FAQS ABOUT FAMILIES FIRST CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE ACT AND CORONAVIRUS...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The latest COVID relief bill, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), provides for a 100% COBRA premium subsidy from April 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021. ARPA, which was signed into law by President...more
At the 11th hour, on February 26, 2021, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued EBSA Disaster Relief Notice 2021-01 (the “Notice”) to provide guidance on the duration of the COVID-related relief previously provided by the DOL in...more