2012

Consumer Engagement Is The New Healthcare Reality

Cafeteria Plans CDHC Flexible Spending FSA Health Care Reform Health Reimbursement Health Savings HRA HSA PPACA Section 125 Plans

Every so often it seems another round of surveys is released demonstrating the strong, continual growth of the consumer-directed health care (CDHC) market and the accompanying behavioral shift in how Americans approach buying health care. This month has

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New Benefits Coordinator’s Failure to Provide COBRA Election Notice Leads to Stiff Penalties for Employer

COBRA Compliance and Regulatory DOL ERISA

From the November 08, 2012 EBIA Weekly
[Evans v. Books-A-Million, 2012 WL 5379351 (N.D. Ala. 2012)]

The terminated employee in this case sued her former employer for, among other things, not providing her a COBRA election notice for its group dental plan.

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So you've got an HSA, now what do you do with it?

CDHC Health Care Reform Health Savings HSA IRS

By Beth Pinsker Gladstone
NEW YORK | Thu Oct 11, 2012 9:30am EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - If your company tells you it's replacing your health insurance with a high deductible plan paired with a health savings account - or adding that option to your

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Who is Eligible for New Health Insurance Premium Tax Credits?

Compliance and Regulatory Health Care Reform IRS Medicare PPACA Taxes

What premium tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies are available to individuals in 2014 and who is eligible for them?

To assist individuals and families who do not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid and are not offered affordable health coverage by their employers, a refundable tax credit (the “premium tax credit”) and a cost sharing subsidy will be available beginning in 2014 to help pay for insurance purchased through an Exchange.

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Important Information Regarding the PPACA Summary of Benefits and Coverage Requirement

Cafeteria Plans CDHC Compliance and Regulatory DOL ERISA Flexible Spending FSA Health Care Reform Health Reimbursement HRA HSA IRS PPACA

Group health plans, which include HRAs, MERPs, and non-excepted FSAs, must provide a Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) for all eligible plans to all eligible individuals, participants and beneficiaries.

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IRS Releases Guidance Concerning the 2013 FSA Contribution Limit

Cafeteria Plans CDHC Compliance and Regulatory Flexible Spending FSA Health Care Reform IRS PPACA Section 125 Plans Taxes

The IRS has released Notice 2012-40 which provides guidance on the effective date of the $2,500 contribution limit to health flexible spending arrangements (FSAs) under IRS Code Section 125(i) and on the deadline for amending plans to comply with the limit. The notice also provides relief for contributions that mistakenly exceed the $2,500 limit provided they are corrected in a timely manner.

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HIPAA Audits Have Begun

Compliance and Regulatory HHS HIPAA PPACA

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has begun auditing covered entities for compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) under the HIPAA Audit Program (Audit Program). The Audit Program is funded by the Health Information Technology for Economic Clinical Health (HITECH) Act and requires HHS to conduct periodic audits to ensure both covered entities and business associates are complying with the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules, as well as all Breach Notification standards.

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2013 HSA Contribution Limits Released

Health Savings HSA

IRS has just issued Revenue Procedure 2012-26, which provides the 2013 cost-of-living contribution and coverage adjustments for HSAs, as required under Code Section 223(g). Most contribution limits and the out-of-pocket amounts have been increased for 2013.

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Summary of Benefit Coverage Requirements for Health FSAs and HRAs

Compliance and Regulatory DOL ERISA Flexible Spending FSA Health Reimbursement HHS HIPAA HRA IRS PPACA Section 125 Plans

Does an employer have to provide a copy of the Summary of Benefits and Coverage (“SBC”) to enrollees of Health Flexible Spending Accounts (“Health FSA”) or Health Reimbursement Arrangements (“HRA”)?

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Court Finds Employer Met ERISA's Voluntary Plan Safe Harbor, Despite Payment of Premiums Through Cafeteria Plan

Cafeteria Plans Compliance and Regulatory DOL ERISA Section 125 Plans

Voluntary benefits that are sold directly to employees may be subject to ERISA as employer-sponsored plans, or may be exempt under the voluntary plan safe harbor, which allows for only minimal involvement by the employer. The plaintiff in this case purchased a short-term disability policy after seeing a presentation by the insurer at his workplace.

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HHS Issues Health Care Exchange Rules

CDHC Compliance and Regulatory DOL Health Care Reform HHS IRS PPACA State Legislation

By Joyce Frieden, News Editor, MedPage Today

WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services has issued the final regulations for implementing the state health insurance exchanges mandated by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

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HHS issues draft bulletin defining Actuarial Value for Health Plans

CDHC Compliance and Regulatory Health Care Reform Health Reimbursement Health Savings HRA HSA IRS Taxes

The HHS has just issued their draft bulletin on defining the “actuarial value” methodology that will be used to calculate AV for health plans, and it is good news for HSAs and HRAs! The rules DO include the employer contributions to accounts in the calculations, which is tremendously beneficial to the attractiveness of the plans.

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HSA minimum deductible will rise to $2,500 family and $1,250 individual in 2013

CDHC Compliance and Regulatory Health Savings HSA IRS Taxes

The HSA minimum deductible, a benchmark for comparing HSAs with traditional PPO plans, will rise to $2,500 family and $1,250 individual in 2013, the first increase in the past 3 years, according to former Treasury official Roy Ramthun who makes the annual estimate using near-final government data.

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Are You Really Saving Money By Self Administering Your HRA?

Cafeteria Plans CDHC COBRA Compliance and Regulatory Flexible Spending FSA Health Care Reform Health Reimbursement HIPAA HRA Medicare Taxes

Posted by RENEE KUHS, Compliance Attorney

Do you think you’re saving money by administering your health reimbursement arrangement (HRA)?  In our experience, many employers that self-administer an HRA often overlook important compliance obligations that put them at financial risk.  Failure to comply with the following requirements is common and can be costly.

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EBRI Study - HSA and HRA Accounts Continue Growth Trend

CDHC Compliance and Regulatory Flexible Spending Health Care Reform Health Reimbursement Health Savings HRA HSA IRS PPACA Taxes

MyHealthGuide Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), 1/2012, EBRI New Release and EBRI Full Text Brief with Charts.

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