2010

IRS Expands Use of Debit Card for OTC Drugs

December, 28 2010
Category: Compliance and Regulatory, Flexible Spending, FSA, Health Care Reform, Health Reimbursement, Health Savings, HSA, IRS,

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.

IRS Delays discrimination testing ...

December, 27 2010

"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."

Congress Passes Extension of Transit Benefit Cap

December, 17 2010

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.

Simple Cafeteria Plans - A GIFT for small employers.

December, 15 2010
Category: Compliance and Regulatory, Flexible Spending, FSA, Health Care Reform, IRS,

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).

IRS Form 8928 – Employers are now required to self report COBRA Administration Compliance Failures

October, 27 2010
Category: COBRA, Compliance and Regulatory, Health Care Reform, IRS,

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.

SIMPLE Cafeteria Plans Provide a "Safe Harbor" from Non-discrimination Testing.

October, 26 2010
Category: Compliance and Regulatory, Flexible Spending, FSA, Health 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.

New York may enact mandatory 132 Transit Benefit Program

October, 20 2010
Category: Compliance and Regulatory, Flexible Spending, State Legislation, Taxes, Transit 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).

IRS Releases Draft W-2 Form for 2011; Announces Relief for Employers

October, 19 2010
Category: Compliance and Regulatory, Health Care Reform, IRS, Taxes,

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.

HRA Administration Technology Reaches New Heights

October, 14 2010
Category: COBRA, Compliance and Regulatory, Health Care Reform, Health Reimbursement, Health 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.

SIGIS Releases Significant Updates to IIAS Eligible Products List

September, 27 2010
Category: Compliance and Regulatory, Flexible Spending, FSA, Health Care Reform, Health Reimbursement, Health Savings, HSA, IIAS,

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

SIGIS COMPLETES REVIEW OF ELIGIBLE PRODUCTS LIST

September, 23 2010

IRS Issues New Guidance on PPACA Changes to OTC Medical Expenses

September, 7 2010
Category: Compliance and Regulatory, Flexible Spending, Health Care Reform, Health 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

IRS Defines "Prescription" and Announces Transition Period for OTC Purchases with Debit Cards

September, 7 2010

Are you prepared for this months health plan changes under the PPACA?

September, 1 2010
Category: Compliance and Regulatory, Health Care Reform,

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

COBRA Continuation Coverage Assistance Under The American Recovery And Reinvestment Act Of 2009 Update

August, 31 2010

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.

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