Benefits Buzz
Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) are those who employed 50 or more full-time equivalent employees in the previous calendar year. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) law, ALEs must offer minimum essential coverage to at least 95% of its full-time employees or they risk penalties. ALEs who fail to meet this offer requirement risk a significant penalty if just one full-time employee receives a subsidized individual health insurance plan through a Marketplace.
On February 21, 2023, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published a final rule which changes the electronic filing requirements for Forms 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C.
The No Surprises Act (NSA), enacted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, requires group health plans and health insurers to report information on prescription drug and health care spending to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Labor (DOL), and the Department of Treasury (DOT). The reporting process is referred to as the Prescription Drug Data Collection, or RxDC for short.
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) requires employers with 20 or more employees to offer continuation coverage under a group health plan for periods of 18, 29 or 36 months depending on the qualifying event. Qualifying events generally include a loss of coverage due to 1) termination of employment, 2) a reduction in hours, 3) an employee’s entitlement to Medicare, 4) death of the employee, 5) divorce or legal separation from the employee, and 6) a dependent child reaching the maximum age limit to be covered under the plan.
Did you know that there are specific rules in place to electronically furnish plan documents and written notices that are required to be distributed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)? This includes electronic distribution of documents and notices by email or by posting to an internal company website. The general requirements are as follows:
It’s official. The Biden Administration announced the COVID-19 national emergency and public health emergency will end on May 11, 2023.
