IRS Extends Deadline for Certain Qualified Medical Expense Plans
At the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020, the President issued an emergency...
The Birch Blog
———Coverage Requirements of COVID-19 Tests & Vaccinations
NEW FEDERAL FAQS EXPLAINS COVERAGE REQUIREMENTS OF COVID-19 TESTS AND VACCINATIONS Recently,...
Compensation Disclosure Requirements
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020 (CAA) was signed into law by President Trump on...
HSA & FSA Mid-Year Election Changes
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020 (CAA) was signed into law by President Trump on...
No Surprises Act
The No Surprises Act was passed on December 27, 2020 as part of the Consolidated Appropriations...
RECENT POSTS
Paid Leave Related to COVID
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress has passed three bills that provide or enhance existing federal leave laws. These include the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), and the...
IRS Releases Long-Awaited COBRA Subsidy Guidance
Late in the afternoon of May 18, 2021, the IRS released its long-awaited guidance on the COBRA subsidy created by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). The guidance, IRS Notice 2021-31, is predominantly in question-and-answer format. It addresses eighty-six...
Department of Labor Issues New Cybersecurity Guidance
On April 14, 2021, the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued guidance for plan sponsors, fiduciaries, plan participants, and plan beneficiaries on best practices for reducing internal and external cybersecurity...
Updated Guidance regarding HSA Limits, DCAPs & Transgender Rights
2022 Health Savings Account and Health Reimbursement Arrangement Limits The Internal Revenue Service recently released updates to the maximum annual 2022 contribution limits for health savings accounts (HSAs) under high deductible health plans (HDHPs); these...
More Generous Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account Maximum Limit
One intention of The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is to provide financial support for families struggling due to the pandemic, such as the temporary COBRA subsidies to help employees maintain health insurance. The Act also includes some provisions that may be...