Legal Alerts

UPDATED Legal Alert: IRS Updates Employer Mandate FAQs: Indicates that Penalty Letters are Imminent

By Stacy Barrow - November 7, 2017

This is an update of our November 7, 2017 Alert to include issuance of Form Letter 226J. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has updated its list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the Affordable Care Act’s employer shared responsibility provisions – also known as the “pay or play” mandate.  In particular, questions 55 through 58 [Read More]

Legal Alert: IRS Increases Health FSA Contribution Limit for 2018, Adjusts Other Benefit Limits

By Stacy Barrow - October 24, 2017

On October 20, 2017, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Revenue Procedure 2017-58, which raises the health Flexible Spending Account (FSA) salary reduction contribution limit by $50 to $2,650 for plan years beginning in 2018. The Revenue Procedure also contains the cost-of-living adjustments that apply to dollar limitations in certain sections of the Internal Revenue [Read More]

Legal Alert: President Trump Issues Executive Order on ACA, Separately Attempts to End Cost-Sharing Payments to Insurers

By Stacy Barrow - October 19, 2017

On October 12, President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the federal agencies in charge of implementing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to propose new regulations or revise existing guidance to expand access to association health plans (AHPs), short-term insurance plans, and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs).  While the order directs the agencies to consider changes [Read More]

Legal Alert: Trump Administration Releases Guidance on ACA’s Contraceptive Coverage Mandate

By Stacy Barrow - October 10, 2017

On October 6, 2017, The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Treasury, and Labor (the “Departments”) released interim final regulations allowing employers and insurance companies to decline to cover contraceptives under their health plans based on a religious or moral objection.  The new rules – which are effective immediately – scale back Obama-era [Read More]

Legal Alert: Senate Republicans Release Updated Discussion Draft of ACA Repeal Bill

On Thursday, June 22, 2017, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky released a 142-page healthcare “Discussion Draft” of legislation, called the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 (BCRA), which is the Senate version of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) “repeal-and-replace” legislation American Health Care Act (AHCA) passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last [Read More]

Legal Alert: Senate Republicans Release Healthcare Bill; Largely Mirroring House Bill but with Some Key Differences

On Thursday, June 22, 2017, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky released a 142-page healthcare “Discussion Draft” of legislation, called the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 (BCRA), which is the Senate version of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) “repeal-and-replace” legislation American Health Care Act (AHCA) passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last [Read More]

Legal Alert: REMINDER: PCORI Fees Due by July 31, 2017

Employers that sponsor self-insured group health plans, including health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) should keep in mind the upcoming July 31, 2017 deadline for paying fees that fund the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI).  As background, the PCORI was established as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to conduct research to evaluate the effectiveness of [Read More]