Employers’ high deductible health plans (HDHPs) can continue to cover COVID-19 testing and treatment without violating the eligibility rules for health savings accounts (HSAs)—but only through 2024—under new Internal Revenue...more
The Supreme Court of the United States, on June 30, 2023, struck down President Biden’s student loan relief program that was set to provide partial debt cancellation to approximately 40 million student loan borrowers. As a...more
7/3/2023
/ Article III ,
Biden Administration ,
Colleges ,
Department of Education ,
Loan Forgiveness ,
Relief Measures ,
SCOTUS ,
Standing ,
Student Loans ,
Students ,
Universities
With the pandemic winding down, deadlines for employee benefit plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) will be resuming. Two different emergencies affect employer-sponsored group health plans:...more
2/8/2023
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Filing Deadlines ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
IRS ,
Joint Statements ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Relief Measures ,
Time Extensions
Employers have a reprieve from the challenging December 27, 2022, deadline for reporting 2020 and 2021 prescription drug cost information to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ...more
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) implemented a 100 percent COBRA subsidy for certain qualified beneficiaries beginning on April 1, 2021, and ending September 30, 2021. On May 18, 2021, more than a month into the...more
The new 100 percent premium subsidy applies to individuals eligible for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) coverage due to either a reduction in hours or an involuntary termination of employment, and it...more
4/28/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Health Insurance ,
New Guidance ,
Notice Requirements ,
Premium Subsidies ,
Relief Measures ,
Tax Credits
Less than a month after the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) was signed into law, new U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) guidance and model forms are clearing up a number of employer concerns about the 100 percent COBRA...more
4/12/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
EBSA ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Health Insurance ,
IRS ,
New Guidance ,
Premium Subsidies ,
Premiums ,
Relief Measures ,
Tax Credits
The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) published EBSA Disaster Relief Notice 2021-01 in the nick of time on February 26, 2021. EBSA Disaster Relief Notice 2021-01 was released...more
4/1/2021
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Biden Administration ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
EBSA ,
Employee Benefits ,
Executive Orders ,
Health Insurance ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
New Guidance ,
Notice Requirements ,
Relief Measures ,
Time Extensions
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), which became law on March 11, 2021, provides a 100 percent subsidy of premiums under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) beginning on April 1, 2021, through...more
3/18/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Biden Administration ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Health Insurance ,
Medicare ,
Notice Requirements ,
Popular ,
Premium Subsidies ,
Relief Measures ,
Tax Credits
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA) contained temporary relief measures aimed at addressing unused contributions to health flexible spending accounts (FSA) and dependent care assistance programs (DCAP).
On...more
3/11/2021
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Cafeteria Plans ,
CARES Act ,
Carry-Over Basis ,
COBRA ,
Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Deductibles ,
Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Flexible Spending Accounts ,
Grace Period ,
Health Savings Accounts ,
IRS ,
Relief Measures
On December 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law Congress’s spending bill, the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), 2021, which included the Additional Coronavirus Response and Relief (ACRR) provisions that modified...more
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2019-63 on December 2, 2019 providing some relief from Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting requirements. The notice provides relief consistent with that provided in the past...more
12/11/2019
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Employer Mandates ,
Form 1095 ,
Good Faith ,
Health Insurance ,
Individual Mandate ,
Insurance Industry ,
IRS ,
New Guidance ,
Relief Measures ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Time Extensions