Compliance and RegulatoryFlexible SpendingFSAHealth Care ReformHealth ReimbursementHealth SavingsHSAIRS
On Thursday, December 23, 2010, the IRS issued Notice 2011-5, which clarifies the rules for when a Health FSA or Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) may reimburse prescribed over-the-counter (OTC) medicine or drugs.
"In order to provide insured group health plan sponsors time to implement any changes required as a result of the regulations or other guidance, the Departments anticipate that the guidance will not apply until plan years beginning a specified period after issuance. Before the beginning of those plan years, an insured group health plan sponsor will not be required to file IRS Form 8928 with respect to excise taxes resulting from the incorporation of PHS Act § 2716 into § 9815 of the Code."
Edenred, the provider of the premier commuter benefits programs, Commuter Check and WiredCommute, applauds Congress’ swift action to keep the pre-tax transit benefit cap at $230 per month.
Compliance and RegulatoryFlexible SpendingFSAHealth Care ReformIRS
Effective January 1, 2011, certain employers that establish “simple cafeteria plans” are exempt from the Code Section 125 nondiscrimination requirements as well as the non-discrimination requirements applicable to the plans offered through the cafeteria plan (e.g. Code Section 129 non-discrimination testing for dependent care FSAs, Code Section 105(h) non-discrimination testing for self-insured medical plans, etc).
COBRACompliance and RegulatoryHealth Care ReformIRS
If the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act wasn’t enough to make employers reexamine their trust relationship with their COBRA administrator, the IRS Form 8928 reporting requirements should certainly do so. Beginning with the 2010 Plan or taxable year, employers are now required to self-report their failures to comply with COBRA, HIPAA, and other health plan regulations to the IRS on Form 8928 and pay excise taxes and penalties for these compliance failures.
Compliance and RegulatoryFlexible SpendingFSAHealth Care Reform
The good news is that the new SIMPLE cafeteria plan regulations provide for a "safe harbor" from non-discrimination testing requirements for small employers that allow employees to contribute to health insurance premiums on a pre-tax basis.
Compliance and RegulatoryFlexible SpendingState LegislationTaxesTransit and Parking Section 132
New York State is considering similar legislation for employers with fifty or more employees to establish a qualified transportation fringe benefit program consistent with section 132 of the internal revenue code (IRS).
Compliance and RegulatoryHealth Care ReformIRSTaxes
WASHINGTON — The IRS today issued a draft Form W-2 for 2011, which employers use to report wages and employee tax withholding. The IRS also announced that it will defer the new requirement for employers to report the cost of coverage under an employer-sponsored group health plan, making that reporting by employers optional in 2011.
COBRACompliance and RegulatoryHealth Care ReformHealth ReimbursementHealth Savings
American Benefits Group is pleased to announce a major enhancement to its consumer-directed health plan administration services. The new offerings enable employee benefit brokers and consultants to offer highly customized plans that simplify and automate the administration and management of Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) for plans. The enhanced HRA platform and design functionality will be available for all HRA plans Jan. 1, 2011.
Compliance and RegulatoryFlexible SpendingFSAHealth Care ReformHealth ReimbursementHealth SavingsHSAIIAS
In response to new IRS guidance issued on Friday, September 3, 2010, the organization that manages the IIAS standard, SIGIS, is making significant changes to its Eligible Products List . The guidance, issued by the IRS in Notice 2010-59 in response
Compliance and RegulatoryFlexible SpendingHealth Care ReformHealth Reimbursement
The Internal Revenue Serviceissued guidancelast Friday, September 3, 2010, in the form of Notice 2010-59 that reflects statutory changes regarding the use of health flexible spending arrangements (health FSAs) and health reimbursement arrangements
Numerous provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act take effect for plan years beginning on or after Sept. 23. Some involve a notification to plan participants. The post-Sept. 23 requirements are:Grandfathered plans: Health plans
The Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration has updated its COBRA web page to add a fact sheet and FAQs on maintaining health coverage after the COBRA premium reduction ends.
