IRS Announces 2020 ACA Affordability Indexed Amount
The IRS recently announced in Revenue Procedure 2019-29 that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) affordability indexed amount under the Employer Shared Responsibility Payment (ESRP) requirements will be 9.78% for plan years that begin in 2020. This is a decrease from the 2019 percentage amount (9.86%). Background Rev. Proc. 2019-29 establishes the indexed “required contribution percentage” […]
IRS Expands Preventive Care for QDHDPs
On June 24, 2019, the President issued an Executive Order directing the Department of the Treasury and the IRS to issue guidance that expands the ability of HSA-qualifying high-deductible health plans (QHDHPs) to cover low-cost preventive care that helps maintain health status for individuals with chronic conditions before the statutory minimum deductible for QHDHPs has been […]
New Executive Order Addresses Healthcare Issues
On June 24, 2019, President Trump issued an Executive Order (“EO”) directing the relevant federal agencies to issue regulations or other guidance to make available more meaningful information related to the price and quality of healthcare. This summary highlights aspects of the EO that may be relevant to employer-sponsored group health plans and their covered […]
Important Update from Blue Shield of California
Whether you’re a Blue Shield member or insured with another carrier, this recommendation is based on clinical guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC is a federal office in charge of health promotion and disease prevention in the US. Click here to view the full update. “We have included guidelines […]
Proposed Rules Address Prescription Drug Pricing
Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) released a proposed rule to lower prescription drug prices and out-of-pocket costs by encouraging manufacturers to pass discounts directly to patients and bring new transparency to prescription drug markets. Briefly: Nothing has changed. This is a proposed rule. Even if finalized in its current form, […]
Reminder: OSHA 300A Forms Must Be Posted by February 1 and New Final Rule Released
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates that all employers who are required to maintain the OSHA 300 Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses post a summary of the previous year’s log between February 1st and April 30th each year, even if no incidents occurred in the preceding calendar year. The summary (OSHA Form […]
2019 Health Plan Compliance Deadlines
Employers must comply with numerous reporting and disclosure requirements throughout the year in connection with their group health plans. This Compliance Overview explains key 2019 compliance deadlines for employer-sponsored group health plans. It also outlines group health plan notices that employers must provide annually. Often, employers furnish these notices with the plan’s enrollment materials during […]
How the Government Shutdown is Affecting Employers
The current partial government shutdown — which has been in effect since Dec. 22, 2018 — is the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Unlike past shutdowns, the government is not completely closed. However, due to the prolonged nature of the shutdown, employers are starting to feel its effects. This article provides an overview of how […]
2019 Minimum Wage Rates
The current federal minimum wage rate is $7.25 per hour. However, many states have adopted minimum wage rates higher than the federal rate. When the state rate and the federal rate are different, employers must pay their employees the higher rate. The following states have adopted new minimum wage rates for 2019: Alaska Arizona Arkansas […]
Blue Shield of California Offers Assistance to Members Affected by California Wildfires
Date: November 9, 2018 Attn: Core and Premier Accounts There are a number of wildfires underway in California. We are working hard to ensure the safety and care of all Blue Shield of California members. Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for: The Hill Fire (Ventura County) is at ~10,000 acres in size. Mandatory evacuations are […]