American Rescue Plan Act Signed into Law
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which is the latest bill to address the ongoing economic impacts of COVID-19, has been signed into law. Most aspects of the law do…
President Trump Signs End of Year Deal with COVID Stimulus and Surprise Billing
President Trump, on December 27, signed the end of year package Congress passed December 21, averting a government shutdown. The package includes government spending through Oct. 1, 2021, COVID-19 stimulus…
FSA Changes/Guidelines Based on the COVID Relief Bill
On December 27th, President Trump signed the end of year package Congress passed December 21, averting a government shutdown. The package includes new guidelines for Flexible Spending Accounts. Employers are…
Supreme Court Allows for Birth Control Exemptions Based on Religious and Moral Objections
The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has the ability to create a religious and moral exemption to the Affordable Care Act’s…
IRS Releases Inflation-Adjusted Amounts for HSAs & Senate Democrats Release COVID-19 Response Proposal
The IRS has released Rev. Proc. 2020-32, which provides the 2021 inflation-adjusted amounts for Health Savings Accounts. For 2021, the HSA contribution limit for individual coverage will be $3,600. For…
CMS Offers Temporary Period of Relaxed Enforcement of Certain Time Frames Related to Group Market Requirements in Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a Temporary Period of Relaxed Enforcement of certain time frames related to group market requirements under the Public Health Service…
IRS Issues Notices to Relax Cafeteria Plan Election Rules for COVID-19 and Increase Health FSA Carryover
On May 12, the IRS released two notices providing relief on cafeteria plan election rules and increasing the allowed health FSA carryover. The first notice, IRS Notice 2020-29, provides for…
Extension of Certain Timeframes for Employee Benefit Plans
The IRS and Employee Benefits Security Administration (U.S. Labor Department) have jointly issued a final rule to extend certain timeframes concerning participants’ rights to healthcare coverage, portability, and continuation of group health plan coverage under COBRA, and to extend the time for plan participants to file or perfect benefit claims or appeals of denied claims.
April 1 Effective Date for FFCRA Leaves
On Tuesday, March 24, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced that the effective date of the leaves available through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) will be April 1,…
Agencies Announce Plan to Implement Paid Leave & Tax Credits
To take immediate advantage of the paid leave credits, businesses can retain and access funds that they would otherwise pay to the IRS in payroll taxes.