While things have been relatively quiet on the Affordable Care Act front, in recent weeks employers were starting to wonder if they needed to implement strategies to manage costs under the controversial Cadillac Tax which was set to become effective in… more »

Happy New Year from the IRS! On December 27, 2017, the Internal Revenue Service gave employers sponsoring health plans a New Year’s gift. Again this year, the IRS has offered plan sponsors a 30-day automatic extension for the distribution of both 2017… more »

With many employers updating benefit packages effective January 1st, it is easy to overlook certain basic benefit options. Offering cash in lieu of benefits is a growing trend among employers, especially those considered Applicable Large Employers (ALE)… more »

What does the IRS do while it awaits the outcome of tax reform? It works on identifying employers that are not complying with the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) employer shared responsibility mandate. In April, a Treasury Inspector General for Tax… more »

As in years past, it's time for all self-funded employer health plan sponsors to file and pay the required Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee. While hope continues that payment of this fee may be suspended as part of the current… more »

As is the case every spring, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released its guidance regarding the limitations for high deductible health plans (HDHP) for the coming calendar year. Rev. Proc. 2017-37 announces the limits that will apply to any HDHP… more »

As in years past, it's time for all self-funded employer health plan sponsors to file and pay the required Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee. While hope continues that payment of this fee may be suspended as part of the current… more »

Health savings accounts (HSAs) are becoming more and more popular as a vehicle to empower health savings and lower premium costs, but the related regulations – particularly those pertaining to the associated high deductible health plan (HDHP) – can be… more »

Hard though it may be to believe, here we are in January 2017... and if you're a self-funded employer plan sponsor, it's time to get serious about preparing your IRS Form 1095s. As you know, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its supporting regulations… more »

On Friday, November 18, 2016, the Internal Revenue Service released Notice 2016-70, effectively extending the due date for furnishing IRS Forms 1095-B and 1095-C to individuals offered and/or covered under employer-provided health plans. The extended… more »

The tax-free benefits of flexible spending accounts (FSAs) helps plan members to save money on their health care spending... but using FSAs to their maximum advantage requires a bit of prior planning. Many FSA members are currently deciding how much of… more »

Following lengthy speculation, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has at last formally announced the annual inflation adjustment for health flexible spending accounts (FSAs) for the 2017 tax year. The 2017 dollar limitation on voluntary employee… more »

Hard though it may be to believe, we've already entered the final quarter of 2016. If you're a self-funded employer, that means it's time to get serious about preparing for a critical health care reform mandate: Providing the IRS with an accurate… more »

With the implementation of the controversial Cadillac Tax postponed until 2020, it's easy for employers to put thoughts of it on the backburner... or hope that it simply goes away. But neither approach is a sound strategy, which is why MedBen recommends… more »

On April 29, the IRS released its annual cost-of-living adjustments affecting health savings accounts (HSAs) for calendar year 2017. Most of the amounts stay frozen in place from the previous year, with a small increase in single contributions being the… more »

A recent Benefits Pro article makes the case that since the introduction of the Affordable Care Act, employers have been put "in the position of becoming compliance officers." And while it may be true that health care reform has loaded human resource… more »

The Affordable Care Act recently celebrated the 6th anniversary of its passage. In the ensuing years, we've been subjected to a myriad of new regulations, amendments, clarifications and delays... not to mention, assorted taxes, fees and potential… more »

A new study suggests that middle-class families will be hardest hit by the Affordable Care Act's unpopular "Cadillac" tax. Investors Business Daily reports the study indicates that the excise tax -- ostensively meant to discourage benefit-rich health… more »

A reminder for the 2016 plan year: The threshold for Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) -- that is, those with 50 or more full-time employees -- to determine whether or not the contributions they charge their employees for health coverage is affordable… more »

IRS has Filing Requirement Previous Deadline Extended Deadline Sending 1095C forms to their Employees (if a large employer) or 1094B (if a self funded small employer) February 1, 2016 March 31,… more »