President Trump signed an executive order last year directing the Secretaries of Labor, Treasury and Health and Human Services to consider proposing regulations to “increase the usability of HRAs.” This month, the collective departments issued proposed regulations containing changes to the prohibition on pairing HRAs with individual health policies, as well as other changes to
Fridays With Benefits Webinar | Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot? Our Retrospective on 2018 Benefits Issues
Join us Friday, November 2 for our monthly Fridays with Benefits webinar. With 2019 right around the corner, now is the time to dust off your year-end checklist and take stock of changes we have seen in 2018, and how they project to impact planning for the new year. Join us for an interactive discussion
Bills Ban Gag Clauses in Pharmacy Contracts
On October 10, 2018 President Trump signed two bills that ban “gag clauses” in pharmacy contracts. Congress passed the two bills—one for Medicare prescription drug plans (“Know the Lowest Price Act”) that will go into effect in January 2020, and another for commercial employer-based and individual policies (“Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act”) effective
Hidden Costs in Benefit Contracts: What You Don’t Know May Cost You
During our Tax in the City roundtable event in Dallas, Erin Turley and Judith Wethall presented on the hidden costs in benefit contracts. They provided attendees with a checklist of what to look out for in contracts, including services, protection and pricing terms. When negotiating contracts, Erin and Judith recommended establishing a list of needs
Wellness Initiatives and Designing Consumer Driven Health Plans
During the most recent Tax in the City event in Dallas, Partners Erin Turley and Judith Wethall, presented on the rise of consumer driven health care. Some popular programs they discussed include wellness, smoking cessation, high deductible health plans and HSAs, telemedicine, direct contracting and affordable care organizations. They also discussed the compliance complexities associated
All Together Now: DOL Finalizes Rule for Association Health Plans
The US Department of Labor published a final rule that makes it easier for a group or association of employers to act as a single “employer” sponsor of an Association Health Plan under ERISA. By creating an opportunity for small employers and self-employed individuals to take advantage of the economies of scale that are usually
IRS Releases FAQs on Paid Family and Medical Leave Credit
The IRS released guidance in April on the new credit for paid family and medical leave. In FAQ form, this guidance helps employers gauge whether their current policies are sufficient, or whether implementation of conforming paid leave policies may be necessary.
Fridays with Benefits Webinar | Mental Health Parity and Compliance Complexities
New proposed guidance on mental health parity issued last month spotlights the complexities of these rules. Join us for out next Fridays with Benefits webinar on June 1 as Jacob M. Mattinson and Judith Wethall discuss the impact these rules will have on group health plans and how to determine if your plan complies. Find
IRS Announces Limits for Health Savings Accounts and High-Deductible Health Plans for 2019
On May 10, 2018, the IRS announced cost-of-living adjustments to the applicable dollar limits for health savings accounts and high-deductible health plans for 2019. Many of the limits will change for 2019.
IRS Announces HSA Contribution Limit Increase for 2018
On April 26, 2018, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) increased the 2018 maximum deductible Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution for taxpayers with family coverage under a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) to $6,900.
The $6,900 contribution limit for 2018 was originally published in Revenue Procedure 2017-37, but was reduced earlier this year by $50