Bulletins

    IRS increases ACA affordability rate for 2025 plan year

    The IRS recently issued Revenue Procedure 2024-53, establishing the 2025 affordability threshold at 9.02% of annual household income. This is a 0.63% increase from the 2024 threshold of 8.39%. The rate is used to determine the affordability of employer-sponsored health coverage and eligibility for...

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    PCORI fee July 31 deadline on the horizon

    Each year self-funded plan sponsors must file the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee. Applicable employers should use one of four methods to calculate how much is owed and submit the information to the IRS using Form 720 by July 31. Detailed guidance on filling out Form 720...

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    Employers must follow guidelines when issuing 2022 MLR rebates

    Area insurers (carriers) are beginning to issue 2022 plan year medical loss ratio (MLR) rebates. The Affordable Care Act requires insurers to meet MLR requirements each year. If an insurer doesn’t meet the minimum MLR (spend 80 to 85 percent of its premium dollars on health care or activities that...

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    IRS releases updated Form 720

    Last week, Bukaty Companies issued information concerning the July 31 Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee deadline, acknowledging the IRS hadn’t updated Form 720 to reflect the $3 fee applicable to some plan years. Yesterday, the updated Form 720 was released.

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    PCORI fee July 31 deadline approaching

    Each year self-funded plan sponsors must file the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee. Applicable employers should use one of four methods to calculate the amount owed and submit the required fee to the IRS using Form 720 by July 31. Detailed guidance on completing Form 720 can...

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    IRS increases employer mandate penalties for 2024

    The IRS recently released Revenue Procedure 2023-17, increasing the annual penalty for employers responsible for providing health insurance coverage to full-time employees as required by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The coverage requirement is referred to as the employer mandate and applies to...

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    COVID-19 public health emergency and national emergency end soon

    The Biden Administration announced on January 30 its intent to end the public health emergency and national emergency on May 11, 2023. In March of 2020, President Trump issued the emergency declaration in response to the nation’s COVID-19 crisis. President Biden extended the national emergency...

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    New protections for pregnant, nursing employees

    President Biden signed into law recently two new protections for pregnant employees that take effect this year.

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    Employers have option to amend cafeteria plan allowing mid-year plan change for employees eligible for premium tax credits

    In concert with the recently released IRS final rule, allowing more families to receive premium tax credits (PTCs) through Healthcare.gov, the IRS released Notice 2022-41. The notice allows employers to modify cafeteria plan rules to allow mid-year plan changes when an employee’s household is...

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    IRS addresses family glitch affecting premium tax credit eligibility

    Since our August update on a proposed IRS rule, a final rule was released that eliminates the long- criticized “family glitch” in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Prior to the new rule, family eligibility for premium tax credits (PTCs) through Healthcare.gov was based on the cost of coverage for an...

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