Health & Welfare

The IRS has announced the 2021 calendar year dollar limits for health savings account (“HSA”) contributions, and the minimum deductible amounts and maximum out-of-pocket expenses for high deductible health plans (“HDHPs”). By law, these limits are indexed annually to adjust for inflation. 

The IRS, in Notice 2020-29, has relaxed the mid-year election change rules for cafeteria plans due to the nature of the public health emergency imposed by COVID-19, extended grace and carryover periods for certain plans, and clarified the rules for HSA contributions.

The Department of Labor (“DOL”) has issued updated versions of its model general notice and model election notice to ensure that qualified beneficiaries better understand the interactions between Medicare and COBRA.

In coordination, the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Internal Revenue Service (collectively, the “Agencies”) have extended deadlines for multiple events important to health plan administration that will apply to ERISA-governed plans and governmental plans.  Third-party administrators and COBRA administrators will need to program for these extensions, and ...

The IRS has issued Notice 2020-23 to provide employers, employees and retirement plan service providers with relief from business disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic. Notice 2020-23 automatically extends, to July 15, 2020, certain deadlines for employee welfare benefit plan filings and other specified time-sensitive actions, that would otherwise require completion between April 1, 2020, and ...

The Department of Labor (“DOL”) has issued additional FAQs that provide further guidance for employers and employees on the administration of the Emergency Paid Sick Leave (“EPSL”) Act and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Act (“EFMLA”) under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”).

HHS, DOL and IRS (the "Agencies") have jointly issued FAQ 42 to provide guidance on the implementation of the COVID-19 coverage requirements of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act ("FFCRA") and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security ("CARES") Act. The FFCRA generally requires group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage ...

The IRS has issued guidance for employers with under 500 employees explaining how to claim a tax credit for emergency paid sick leave ("EPSL") and expanded FMLA ("EFMLA") under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act ("FFCRA"). In particular, this guidance includes FAQs that provide information regarding the requirements, limitations and applications for the tax credits. Background. FFCRA ...

The DOL has issued a series of FAQs that provide guidance for employers administering the Emergency Paid Sick Leave ("ESPL") and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Act ("EFMLA") under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act ("FFCRA").   

The IRS has issued Notice 2020-15 permitting High Deductible Health Plans ("HDHPs") to cover testing and treatment for COVID-19, without affecting the status of a person as an "eligible individual" for tax exempt Health Saving Account ("HSA") contribution purposes.