DOL, HHS and Treasury Issue Technical Release on Automatic Enrollment, Waiting Periods and Employer Shared Responsibility
The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has issued Technical Release 2012-01, which provides information on questions from employers and other stakeholders regarding the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable […]
HHS Provides Illustrative Information Regarding Benchmarks for Essential Health Benefits
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provided illustrative information to complement its Dec. 16, 2011, bulletin on essential health benefits (EHB) under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care […]
Agencies Release PPACA Final Rule, Guidance and Templates for Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) and Uniform Glossary of Terms
The Departments of Labor, Treasury and Health and Human Services have released final regulations under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) that require health insurers and group health […]
2012 Fiscal Year Plans Must Adhere to FSA $2,500 Limit
Though not the norm, some Cafeteria Plans (Section 125 plans) are not calendar year plans but instead are fiscal year plans (e.g. February 1-January 31). Be careful if this applies […]
HHS Secretary Announces One-Year Delay for Nonprofits with Religious Beliefs in Complying with No-Cost Women’s Preventive Services
After receiving comments on the interim final rule requiring most health insurance plans to cover preventive services for women including recommended contraceptive services without copays, coinsurance or deductibles, Health and […]
IRS Issues Additional Guidance on Form W-2 Health Care
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued Notice 2012-9 to provide additional guidance on the informational reporting to employees of the cost of their employer-sponsored group health plan coverage […]
Final Rule for CO-OPs – Highlights
On Dec. 8, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Final Rule produced by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish the Consumer Operated […]
Essential Health Benefits: HHS Informational Bulletin
On Dec. 16, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a bulletin outlining the approach (and proposed policies) that HHS intends to pursue in rulemaking to define essential […]
HHS Releases FAQs on Implementation of Exchanges, Including Issues Raised by Federally Facilitated Exchanges
On Nov. 29, HHS released 13 Q&As addressing implementation issues for state and federally facilitated Exchanges. The Q&As cover a range of topics including funding responsibility and resources, information exchanges […]
W-2 Reporting Requirements
Requires all employers (including government entities) to include the aggregate cost (whether paid by the employer or the employee) of employer-sponsored health benefits on the employees’ annual Form W-2. The […]
