Beginning January 15, 2022, and through the duration of the public health emergency, insurers and group health plans must cover at-home COVID-19 diagnostic tests available over-the-counter (OTC) without imposing cost-sharing, prior authorization, or other medical management requirements. This requirement stems from the latest guidance issued on January 10, 2022, by the Department of Health and
Understanding Employee Benefits and key developments in the employee benefits field and items of interest to our clients. MORE
Health Plan
Annual Limits on Qualified Plans for 2022
By Stephanie Schmid on
Updated November 18, 2021
On November 4, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Notice 2021-61, which sets forth the 2022 cost-of-living adjustments affecting dollar limits on benefits and contributions for qualified retirement plans. The health savings account (HSA) and high deductible health plan (HDHP) annual deductible and out-of-pocket expense adjustments were announced earlier…
Agencies Issue COVID-19 Vaccine Incentive Guidance
By Stephanie Schmid & Tom Dowling on
On October 4, 2021, the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor and Treasury jointly issued FAQs relating to COVID-19 vaccine incentives and surcharges. Under the guidance, employers may provide incentives such as premium discounts or surcharges through group health plans to incentivize COVID-19 vaccines, provided the incentive complies with the activity-only…
IRS Releases Guidance on Premium Subsidies for Continuation Coverage under COBRA
By Audrey Fenske, Lisa Rippey, Sam Butler & Stephanie Schmid on
On May 18, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released much-anticipated guidance on premium subsidies for continuation coverage under Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) provided by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). For more information about the ARPA and COBRA subsidies, see Stinson’s previous blog: American Rescue Plan Act Contains…
DOL’s ARPA COBRA Subsidy Notices and FAQs: Stay Tuned for More
By Audrey Fenske & Lisa Rippey on
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”) into law. Under ARPA, certain employees and their dependents who lost group health coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the employee’s involuntary termination (other than for gross misconduct) or reduction of hours are allowed to temporarily receive fully-subsidized COBRA…
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT CONTAINS MANY EMPLOYEE BENEFITS RELATED PROVISIONS
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the “ARPA”) into law. Many of the provisions in this sweeping legislation bring changes to the employee benefits world of which employers should take note and which are summarized below.
Subsidized COBRA
The ARPA contains several new rules which impact COBRA…
IRS Guidance on Coronavirus Relief for FSAs, DCAPs, and Cafeteria Plans: Almost Anything Goes
By Audrey Fenske & Stephanie Schmid on
On February 18, 2021, the IRS issued Notice 2021-15, clarifying temporary special rules for cafeteria plans, health flexible spending accounts (“FSAs”), and dependent care assistance programs (“DCAPs”) that were included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act (“CAA”), enacted on December 27, 2020. The Notice also adds temporary opportunities to make changes in health plan coverage under…
Annual Limits on Qualified Plans for 2021
By Nick Bertron on
On October 26, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Notice 2020-79, which sets forth the 2021 cost-of-living adjustments affecting dollar limits on benefits and contributions for qualified retirement plans. The IRS also announced the dollar limitation for employee salary reductions for contributions to health flexible spending arrangements in Revenue Procedure 2020-45. The…
IRS Issues Coronavirus Relief for High-Deductible Health Plans
By Tom Dowling on
On March 11, the IRS issued Notice 2020-15. The new guidance permits high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) to pay for 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing and treatment without a deductible (or with a deductible below the minimum annual deductible otherwise required), and without jeopardizing the plan’s status as an HDHP. This is significant guidance for…
Annual Limits on Qualified Plans for 2020
By Lisa Rippey on
On November 6, 2019, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Notice 2019-59, which sets forth the 2020 cost-of-living adjustments affecting dollar limits on benefits and contributions for qualified retirement plans. The IRS also announced the health savings account (HSA) and high deductible health plan (HDHP) annual deductible and out-of-pocket expense adjustments earlier this year…