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COBRA: New Notices and Marketplace Coverage Issues
The Obama administration announced new updates to model COBRA notices intended to better align COBRA’s notice requirements with...
May 4, 2014
Individuals with Health FSA Carryovers Can Preserve HSA Eligibility
The IRS has released a memorandum that answers key questions for employers who want to offer health flexible spending account (HFSA)...
May 1, 2014
HIPAA Electronic Transactions - Compliance, Certification, and Penalties
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a new proposed rule for public comment, “Administrative Simplification:...
Mar 7, 2014
90-Day Waiting Period - Final Rules
The Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services have released final regulations implementing the 90-day limit on...
Mar 4, 2014
Employer Mandate Rules Begin 2015
The Treasury and the IRS have issued final regulations implementing the employer shared responsibility (mandate) provisions under the...
Feb 11, 2014
DOL Issues New FAQ on Multiple Topics
The most recently issued guidance from the DOL comes in the form of another set of “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQs). FAQ XVIII...
Jan 29, 2014
New Rules Broaden Category of “Excepted Benefits”
New proposed rules recently released by the Departments (IRS, DOL, and HHS) broaden the categories of health coverage that qualify as...
Jan 22, 2014
Contraceptive Coverage Mandate - Religious Objection Update
Under healthcare reform’s preventive services rules, a non-grandfathered, non-excepted group health plan must cover contraceptive drugs,...
Jan 3, 2014
Prohibition on Excessive Waiting Periods Begins 2014
Group health plans are prohibited from imposing excessive waiting periods on an otherwise eligible employee (or dependent) under...
Dec 27, 2013
Transitional Reinsurance Fee Updates
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) created a transitional reinsurance program (TRP) fee to help partially offset the...
Dec 23, 2013
Final Mental Health Parity Rules Released
The agencies have issued final rules under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA). In February 2010, interim...
Nov 22, 2013
Same-Sex Marriage Now Legal in New Jersey
Same-sex marriage became legal in the state of New Jersey on October 21, 2013. With the addition of the same-sex marriage law, NJ...
Nov 14, 2013
New Guidance Requires Action by Employers for their HRA Plans
The US Treasury Department and the Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued guidance concerning how the Patient Protection & Affordable...
Nov 12, 2013
Various Tax Benefits Increased for 2014
The IRS recently released new inflation-adjusted amounts for 2014, establishing the tax-related salary deduction limits on a variety of...
Nov 11, 2013
Transition Relief for Non-Calendar Year Cafeteria Plans
The IRS recently issued Notice 2013-71 which clarifies when non-calendar year cafeteria plans can permit employees to change their 2013...
Nov 7, 2013
IRS Allows Health FSA Carryovers
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued Notice 2013-71 which modifies the longstanding “use-or-lose” rule for health flexible...
Nov 6, 2013
The Individual Mandate Initial Enrollment - Six Week Extension
The healthcare reform exchange Marketplace is now “open for business” and millions of users have visited the healthcare.gov website....
Oct 29, 2013
Marketplace Enrollment Periods and Issues with Employer-Sponsored Health Plans
Enrollment into the health insurance Marketplaces (health reform “exchanges”) is currently underway. Enrollment began October 1, 2013 and...
Oct 24, 2013
New – HIPAA Model Notice of Privacy Practices
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy rule gives individuals a fundamental right to adequate notice of...
Oct 20, 2013
IRS Guidance Clarifies Payment for Preventive Services Under HDHP/HSA Arrangements
On September 9, 2013, IRS Notice 2013-57 clarified that a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) used with a health savings account (HSA) can...
Sep 16, 2013