IRS Releases 2019 ACA Affordability Threshold

The IRS has released a Revenue Procedure, which increases the affordability threshold for ACA (“Affordable Care Act”) Employer Mandate Purposes (“Pay or Play”) to 9.86% for plan years beginning in 2019. For reference purposes: 2015 Percentage: 9.56%  2016 Percentage: 9.66% 2017 Percentage: 9.69% 2018 Percentage: 9.56% 2019 Percentage: 9.86% The Pay or Play rules only…

Creditable Coverage Disclosure Reminder

All group health plans that provide prescription drug coverage to Medicare Part D eligible individuals (whether actively working, retired, or disabled) are required to notify CMS whether or not the coverage provided is creditable. This disclosure must be filed with the Department of Health and Human Services within 60 days of the start of the…

IRS Announces HSA Limits for 2019

On May 10, 2018, the IRS released Revenue Procedure 2018-30 to announce the inflation-adjusted limits for health savings accounts (HSAs) and high deductible health plans (HDHPs) for 2019. These limits include: The maximum HSA contribution limit; The minimum deductible amount for HDHPs; and The maximum out-of-pocket expense limit for HDHPs. These limits vary based on…

Non Discrimination & Classing Rules for Health Plans: An Employer’s Guide

Group health plans and tax-favored accounts—including health savings accounts (HSAs), health flexible spending arrangements (health FSAs), and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs)— are subject to numerous nondiscrimination provisions under federal law. As a result, employers that wish to adopt arrangements which exclude certain classes of employees from group health plan coverage or offer different benefits or…

Reminder: New Procedures for Disability Plan Claims Effective Soon

New Rule Changes Disability Claim Processing Requirements Effective for disability benefit claims filed after April 1, 2018, a new rule from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) requires ERISA-covered employee benefit plans offering disability benefits to provide additional procedural protections to claimants. The new rule ensures that protections for disability claimants parallel protections under the…

Medicare Part D Disclosure Due to CMS by March 1

Online Form for Employers Offering Prescription Drug Coverage to Medicare Part D-Eligible Individuals The Medicare Modernization Act requires employers that provide prescription drug coverage to Medicare-eligible individuals to complete the Online Disclosure Form to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to report whether such coverage is creditable prescription drug coverage. Creditable coverage…