As 2023 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 SW Benefits Updates. Part 1 covered health and welfare plan...more
12/4/2023
/ 401k ,
Automatic Enrollment ,
Best Practices ,
CARES Act ,
Cybersecurity ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Contributions ,
EPCRS ,
Fee Disclosure ,
IRS ,
QACA ,
Qualified Retirement Plans ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Required Amendments (RAs) ,
Roth IRA ,
SECURE Act ,
Student Loans
We are pleased to present our annual 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 and welfare plan issues....more
10/12/2023
/ Abortion ,
Affordable Care Act ,
Birth Control ,
Cafeteria Plans ,
CARES Act ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Civil Rights Act ,
COBRA ,
Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ,
Drug Pricing ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
Health Plan Sponsors ,
IRS ,
MHPAEA ,
Non-Discrimination Rules ,
NQTLs ,
Out of Network Provider ,
Penalties ,
Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) ,
Popular ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Reproductive Healthcare Issues ,
Student Loans ,
Surprise Medical Bills ,
Title VII ,
Transparency ,
Travel Time ,
Wellness Programs
As 2022 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 SW Benefits Updates. Part 1 covered health and welfare plan...more
12/5/2022
/ 401k ,
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
CARES Act ,
Compliance ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Cybersecurity ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Investment ,
IRS ,
QACA ,
Required Amendments (RAs) ,
Retirement Plan ,
SECURE Act
As reported in our January 7, 2022 SW Benefits Blog “The DOL Asks and Answers Questions About the New Welfare Plan Fee Disclosure Rules,” group health plans must now comply with the ERISA Section 408(b)(2) disclosure...more
As 2021 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 SW Benefits Updates. Part 1 covered health and welfare plan...more
12/7/2021
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
CARES Act ,
Cybersecurity ,
Defined Contribution Plans ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
IRS ,
Qualified Retirement Plans ,
Retirement Plan ,
SECURE Act
We are pleased to present our annual 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 and welfare plan issues....more
11/11/2021
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
CARES Act ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Health and Welfare Plans ,
Plan Participants ,
Retirement ,
Retirement Plan ,
Retirement Plan Providers
Summer has come and gone, but there was no summer vacation for employee benefits legislation and guidance. In case you have been too busy to check out our blogs lately, here are some key items to help you stay organized and...more
10/13/2021
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Equity Compensation ,
Health Plan Sponsors ,
Interim Final Rules (IFR) ,
Preventive Health Care ,
Startups
Year-end is always a scramble for health plan sponsors as they go through renewal and open enrollment. This year was looking to be worse than normal given the impending deadlines for complying with the transparency in...more
On April 2, 2021, the Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services departments (the “Departments”) issued ACA FAQs Part 45 (“FAQ 45”), which elaborates on the new reporting requirements implemented by the Consolidated...more
As 2020 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 SW Benefits Updates. Part 1 covered health and welfare plan...more
11/30/2020
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
CARES Act ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Qualified Retirement Plans ,
Required Amendments (RAs) ,
Required Minimum Distributions ,
Retirement Plan ,
Safe Harbors ,
SECURE Act
We are pleased to present our annual 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 and welfare plan issues....more
9/28/2020
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
COBRA ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Executive Compensation ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
HDHP ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
IRS ,
MHPAEA ,
Retirement Plan ,
Trump Administration ,
Year-End Tax Planning
On July 23, 2020, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS") issued another 90-day extension regarding free COVID-19 testing. The free COVID-19 testing requirement was set to expire on July 25, but...more
7/30/2020
/ CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Cost-Sharing ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Health Care Providers ,
ICHRA ,
Plan Participants ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
U.S. Treasury ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
With the COVID-19 pandemic putting pressure on employers and employees alike, the Department of Labor (“DOL”), Treasury (“Treasury”), and Health and Human Services (“HHS”) (collectively, the “Departments”) continue to issue...more
As reported in our November 7, 2018 SW Benefits Blog Zombie Benefits – Are Health Reimbursement Arrangements (“HRAs”) Back From the Dead?, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury (the “Agencies”)...more
9/11/2019
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Code Sections 4980H ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Employer Contributions ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Final Rules ,
HRA ,
Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Plan (QSEHRAs)
As 2018 comes to an end, we are pleased to present you with our traditional End of Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” Lists. This year, we are publishing our “To Do” Lists in four separate Employee Benefits Updates. Part 1 covered...more
As open enrollment approaches for the 2019 calendar year, below are some items employers may want to consider:
Wellness program changes – Many employers change their wellness programs during open enrollment. This is a...more
8/31/2018
/ Association Health Plans ,
Code Sections 4980H ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Domestic Partnership ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Federal Poverty Line ,
IRS ,
Large Employer ,
Obergefell v. Hodges ,
Open Enrollment ,
Summary of Benefits and Coverage ,
Wellness Programs
On June 21, 2018, the Department of Labor published the final association health plan (“AHP”) rule. 83 FR 28912 (June 21, 2018). The final rule is short, just shy of three pages in length (see page 28961 to 29964), and...more
7/2/2018
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Association Health Plans ,
COBRA ,
Commonality ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Final Rules ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
MEWAs ,
Regulatory Agenda
As 2017 comes to an end, we are pleased to present you with our traditional End of Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” Lists. This year, we are publishing our “To Do” Lists in four separate Employee Benefits Updates. Part 1 covered...more
11/21/2017
/ 401k ,
Affordable Care Act ,
Automatic Enrollment ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Best Interest Contract Exemptions ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Determination Letter ,
Disability Benefits ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Filing Requirements ,
Form 5500 ,
Hardship Distributions ,
IRS ,
Natural Disasters ,
Proposed Rules ,
Qualified Retirement Plans ,
Retirement Plan ,
Safe Harbors ,
Summary Plan Description
“Middle class economics means that Americans should be able to retire with dignity after a lifetime of hard work. But loopholes in the retirement advice rules have allowed some brokers and other advisers to recommend products...more
The Health Care Reform Act made many changes to health plans, but one thing it did not do was expressly eliminate or change the COBRA rules. Although health care reform does not expressly change COBRA, it does, in many ways,...more
7/22/2014
/ Affordable Care Act ,
COBRA ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Mandates ,
Health Insurance ,
Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Look-Back Measurement Period ,
Plan Administrators ,
Popular ,
Severance Agreements
On June 26, 2013, the United States Supreme Court, in United States v. Windsor, held that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”) is unconstitutional as a deprivation of the equal liberty of persons that is...more
9/9/2013
/ Department of Labor (DOL) ,
DOMA ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Healthcare ,
IRS ,
Qualified Retirement Plans ,
Same-Sex Marriage ,
SCOTUS ,
US v Windsor
The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury (collectively, the “Departments”) during the first half of the year issued guidance in the form of Frequently Asked Questions (the “FAQs”) on certain...more
7/10/2013
/ Clinical Trials ,
Deductibles ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Discrimination ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Employer Mandates ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Non-Grandfathered Health Plans ,
Out-of-Pocket Expenses ,
Preventive Health Care ,
U.S. Treasury
As reported in our January 31, 2013 Navigating Health Care Reform Alert, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (collectively, the “Affordable Care Act”)...more
As reported in our November 12, 2012 End of Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” Lists, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (collectively, the “Affordable Care...more