The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced the inflation-adjusted maximum out-of-pocket (OOP) limits that will apply to non-grandfathered plans for plan years beginning in 2024. The OOP limit includes the plan’s deductible and cost sharing...
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Vanguard Cites Shunned Founder Jack Bogle to Deflect Criticism After Epic ESG Flip-Flop
Vanguard Cites Shunned Founder Jack Bogle to Deflect Criticism After Epic ESG Flip-Flop - Ari Sonneberg, RIZBiz, January 3, 2023 (PDF)
Attorney Andrew Oringer Joins The Wagner Law Group
Attorney Andrew Oringer Joins The Wagner Law Group - January 2, 2023
ERISA Group Health Plan’s Self-Help Provision is Enforceable
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, in Mull v. Motion Picture Industry Health Plan; Board of Directors of Motion Picture Industry Health Plan, has determined that an ERISA-covered group health plan has the right to recoup payments made to a participant to cover...
DOL Rule Permits Consideration of Climate and ESG Factors and Codifies Proxy Voting Responsibilities
By Stephen Wilkes, Izzy Goldowitz and John Sohn On November 22, 2022, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued a final rule modernizing and revising the long-standing Investment Duties Regulation. Among other things, the final rule clarifies that ERISA plan fiduciaries...
Secure Act 2.0 Brings a Litany of Retirement Changes
By Roberta Watson, Barry Salkin and Alex Olsen The SECURE Act 2.0 of 2022 (“SECURE 2.0”, or the “Act”) became law as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. SECURE 2.0 builds on the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (i.e.,...
IRS Publishes Registered Apprenticeship Guidance
By Stephen Wilkes and Seth Gaudreau On November 30, 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and the Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”) published Notice 2022-61 (the “Notice”) in the Federal Register. Among the provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022...
Federal Agencies Issue Group Health Plan Guidance
By Roberta Watson, Barry Salkin and Dannae Delano On December 23, 2022, new guidance applicable to group health plans was issued by federal agencies, as described more fully below. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued updated fee guidance in...
IRS Finalizes Delayed Effective Dates for ACA Filing Requirements
In past years, the IRS has extended the deadlines for employer and group health plan Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) reporting. In lieu of the deadline extensions, the IRS has now issued final regulations that provide for a permanent, automatic extension of the deadline...
First Circuit Illustrates the Importance of the Fiduciary Responsibilities of Health and Welfare Plan Sponsors and Severance Providers Under ERISA
First Circuit Illustrates the Importance of the Fiduciary Responsibilities of Health and Welfare Plan Sponsors and Severance Providers Under ERISA - Dannae Delano, Barry Salkin and Roberta Casper Watson, Bloomberg Tax Management Compensation Planning Journal, Vol. 50...