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It wasn't all about the Summary of Coverage documents last Thursday. The Departments of Labor, HHS and Treasury also issued new guidance on frequently asked questions by employers and health plans concerning the auto-enrollment, employer requirements and
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The Obama administration released the final rules for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s (PPACA) Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) on February 9. The requirements have been the subject of much contention between insurers, employers and consumer groups over the past two years, and the final rules have been much anticipated by the benefits community.One of the most contentious parts of the debate about the new requirements was their effective date.
By year-end 2011, health savings accounts surpassed $12.4 billion in nearly 6.8 million accounts, according to market research from broker/dealer firm Devenir.
On Friday, February 3, Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), introduced S. 2068, the Access to Independent Health Insurance Advisors Act of 2012. Here is a link to NAHU’s press release about the measure, and here is a link to a fact sheet about the bill.
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By ASSOCIATED PRESS | 2/1/12 11:46 PM EST
WASHINGTON – The Republican-led House on Wednesday voted to repeal a financially troubled part of the 2010 health care law that was designed to provide affordable long-term care insurance.
The House vote comes months after the Obama administration suspended the Community Living Assistance Services and Support program, known as the CLASS Act.
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We keep hearing about the government issuing waivers, is it possible for employers to opt out of health care reform? No, there is no waiver from all of health care reform. Employers may be thinking of the term “grandfathered plans,” which refers to plans in existence on March 23, 2010, which have made minimal changes, defined under regulations, and are therefore exempt from some, but not all, of health care reform’s mandates.
The IRS recently issued the 2011 versions of Publication 502 (Medical and Dental Expenses) and Publication 503 (Child and Dependent Care Expenses). Publication 502 describes what medical expenses are deductible on taxpayers’ 2011 federal income tax returns. The 2011 version includes clarifications with respect to breast reconstruction surgery, guide dogs/service animals, hearing aids, nursing services and provisions regarding health insurance costs for self-employed persons, and the health coverage tax credit.
Cafeteria PlansCDHCCompliance and RegulatoryFlexible SpendingFSAHealth Care ReformHealth ReimbursementHealth SavingsHRAHSAIIASIRSSection 125 PlansTaxes
Publication 969 has been updated for use in preparing 2011 tax returns. This publication provides basic information about HSAs, HRAs, health FSAs, Archer MSAs and Medicare Advantage MSAs, including brief descriptions of benefits, eligibility requirements, contribution limits and distribution issues.
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Offering comprehensive benefits to employees can help you attract, hire, and retain the best workers. Yet many small-business owners believe that health care insurance is a luxury they can’t afford. The good news: Thanks to new incentives, tax credits, industry reform, and nontraditional plans, health care insurance may be within reach.
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Personal Income Tax Technical Information Release 12- 2 Massachusetts Department of Revenue
Individual Mandate Penalties for Tax Year 2012 Pursuant to G.L. c. 111M, § 2, the Department of Revenue is issuing this Technical Information Release to announce the penalty schedule for individuals who fail to comply in 2012 with the requirements under the Massachusetts Health Care Reform Act (the Act).
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The IRS has issued new guidance to clarify how employers and benefit plan administrators will need to meet Form W2 health benefit cost reporting requirements, including the treatment of FSAs, HRAs, EAPs and wellness programs, and supplemental coverage.
