As 2019 comes to an end, we are pleased to present our traditional End of Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” Lists. This year, we present our “To Do” Lists in four separate Employee Benefits Updates. This Part 1 covers year-end health...more
Employers have been receiving letters from the IRS assessing Employer Shared Responsibility Payments -- penalties -- under the Affordable Care Act, usually for the 2015 or 2016 calendar years. We have seen penalty amounts...more
Editor's Overview - For over two decades, federal law has required covered health plans and insurers to ensure that certain mental health benefits are in parity with offered medical/surgical benefits. The meaning of...more
In a case believed to be the first of its kind, a recent class action claim has accused an employer of reducing hours of employees to avoid having to provide health coverage as required under the Patient Protection and...more
With the end of 2015 fast approaching, employers should be aware of certain issues under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) and...more
In last week’s post, we examined the appropriateness of capping the annual hours of new “variable hour employees” as a way to limit exposure under the Affordable Care Act’s employer shared responsibility rules. (These rules...more
As expected, the Department of the Treasury and the IRS (the “Agencies”) finalized the employer information reporting requirements under the Affordable Care Act (the “ACA”) earlier this month. The final rules, which are...more
Welcome to the SW Benefits Update, formerly the Employee Benefits Update. Historically, employers have had complete discretion in deciding whether to offer group health plan coverage to their employees. If they offered...more
Health Care Reform Employer Mandate and Reporting Provisions Delayed until 2015 - The U.S. Department of the Treasury unexpectedly announced on July 2, 2013 the delay of the employer shared responsibility ‘pay or play’...more
In This Issue: - Health & Welfare Plans ..Health Care Reform: IRS Issues Proposed “Pay or Play” Regulations ..Health Care Reform: IRS Issues FAQs on Various ACA Issues ..HHS Issues Final HIPAA Regulations...more