Jul
7
2021IRS Provides Guidance on Premium Assistance and Tax Credit for Continuation Health Coverage | Texas Employee Benefits Agency
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today provided guidance on tax breaks under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for continuation health coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA). Notice 2021-31 PDF provides guidance for employers, plan administrators, and health insurers regarding the new credit available to them for providing continuation health coverage to certain individuals under COBRA. The American Rescue Plan…
Read More
Read More
May
26
2021FAQs About Cobra Premium Assistance Under The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 | Texas Employee Benefits Partners
April 07, 2021 Set out below are Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding implementation of certain provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), as it applies to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, commonly called COBRA. These FAQs have been prepared by the Department of Labor (DOL). Like previously issued FAQs (available at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/about-ebsa/our-activities/resource-center/faqs), these FAQs answer questions from stakeholders to…
Read More
Read More
May
29
2018Health Plan PCORI Fees Are Due July 31 | Houston Benefit Advisors
Do you offer coverage to your employees through a self-insured group health plan? Do you sponsor a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)? If so, do you know whether your plan or HRA is subject to the annual Patient-Centered Research Outcomes Institute (PCORI) fee? This article answers frequently-asked questions about the PCORI fee, which plans are affected, and what you need to do as the employer sponsor….
Read More
Read More
Mar
27
2018Electronic Delivery of ERISA Notices | Houston Employee Benefits Advisors
Q. Can we provide summary plan descriptions (SPDs) electronically? A. Yes. However, just sending them is not enough to meet ERISA requirements; you must ensure the intended recipients are actually getting them. Specifically, ERISA requires SPDs to be furnished using “measures reasonably calculated to ensure actual receipt of the material” via “methods likely to result in full distribution.” Electronic delivery is one way to meet…
Read More
Read More
Dec
15
2017Agencies Provide Relief for Group Plans and Donation Programs Affected by Hurricanes/Wildfires | Houston Benefit Advisors
Guidance for Group Health Plans Impacted by Hurricane Maria and California Wildfires The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a news release to recognize that plan participants and beneficiaries may encounter problems due to Hurricane Maria and the California Wildfires. The DOL advises plan fiduciaries to make reasonable accommodations to prevent workers’ loss of benefits and to take steps to minimize the possibility of individuals losing benefits…
Read More
Read More
Nov
20
2017Latest IRS ACA Round Up (Including 2018 Cost-of-Living Adjustments) | Houston Benefit Advisors
Recently, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued the instructions for Forms 1094/1095 for the 2017 tax year, announced PCORI fees for 2017-18, and announced cost-of-living adjustments for 2018. The IRS provided additional guidance on leave-based donation programs’ tax treatment and released an information letter on COBRA and Medicare. Here’s a recap of these actions for your reference. IRS Announces Cost-of-Living Adjustments for 2018 The IRS…
Read More
Read More
Aug
3
2017Best Practices for Initial COBRA Notices | Houston Benefit Advisors
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) requires group health plans to provide notices to covered employees and their families explaining their COBRA rights when certain events occur. The initial notice, also referred to as the general notice, communicates general COBRA rights and obligations to each covered employee (and his or her spouse) who becomes covered under the group health plan. This notice…
Read More
Read More