2016

Congress Passes “Cures Act” Allowing Stand-Alone HRAs for Small Employers

Compliance and Regulatory Health Care Reform Health Reimbursement Arrangements HRA

On Dec. 7, 2016, the US Congress passed HR 34, called the “21st Century Cures Act” (Cures Act). The Cures Act legislation will permit small employers (those with fewer than 50 full-time employees during a calendar year who are not subject to the employer mandate) who do not offer a group health plan to provide a qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangement (QSEHRA).

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IRS Announces 2017 Health FSA and Commuter Plan Limits

Commuter Compliance and Regulatory Flexible Spending FSA Transit and Parking Section 132

On October 26, 2016, the IRS announced the 2017 annual inflation adjustments, which included increased limits for Health Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) under an IRC §125 cafeteria plan. The Parking and Transit limits for 2017 remain the same.

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Cadillac Tax Would Have a Deep Impact on Employers

ACA Compliance and Regulatory

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Cadillac Tax Would Have a Deep Impact on Employers

BusinessWest on March 8, 2016 in Banking and Financial Services

New Rules of the Road

By BOB CUMMINGS

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Although many provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have already been implemented, a few major ones are still to come. None are as far-reaching as the proposed ‘Cadillac tax’ on employer-sponsored health benefits.

Originally scheduled to take effect in 2018, the Cadillac-tax implementation was recently pushed off to 2020. If implemented, the IRS will impose a 40%, non-deductible excise tax on certain employer-sponsored health benefits that exceed a dollar threshold of $10,200 for an individual and $25,500 for a family. Health-insurance companies and self-insured plan sponsors will have to pay the tax on excess dollar amounts for benefits provided above this threshold. After 2020, the limits are to be adjusted for future changes in the consumer price index.

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Getting a Grasp on the New Health-benefits Reporting Rules

ACA Compliance and Regulatory

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Getting a Grasp on the New Health-benefits Reporting Rules

BusinessWest on January 12, 2016 in Banking and Financial Services

Delayed Reaction

By BOB CUMMINGS

files/content/about/Bios/RCummings_Head.jpgFor many employers, their first challenge with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) may be compliance with the new reporting requirements.

Under the ACA, the Internal Revenue Code added IRS Section 6056, which requires ‘applicable large employers’ to file information returns with the IRS and provide statements to their full-time employees about the health-insurance coverage that the employer offered. Under the terms of the ACA, an applicable large employer generally means an employer that had 50 or more full-time employees (including full-time equivalent employees) in the preceding calendar year.

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