SIGNIFICANT CHANGES PROPOSED TO VOLUNTARY BENEFIT PLAN RULES
The federal Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury recently issued a...
The Birch Blog
———NEW GUIDANCE ISSUED ON SURPRISE BILLING, OUT-OF-POCKET LIMITS, AND FACILITY FEES
Late last week, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury (the...
IRS REMINDS PLAN SPONSORS OF CAFETERIA PLAN CLAIMS SUBSTATIATION REQUIREMENTS
The federal Section 125 “cafeteria plan" regulations permit health plans to reimburse...
IRS CONFIRMS CERTAIN “WELLNESS” PROGRAMS CANNOT BE USED TO AVOID TAXATION
Over the past several years, the employer-plan marketplace has seen a rise in “fixed-indemnity...
EMPLOYER PLAN GUIDANCE ISSUED ON THE END OF THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY PERIODS
On April 10, 2023, President Biden signed H.J. Res. 7 into law, thereby ending the national...
FEDERAL JUDGE VACATES ACA PREVENTIVE CARE
COVERAGE REQUIREMENTS
Last Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Reed O’Connor of the Northern District of Texas issued...
RECENT POSTS
COMPLIANCE ALERT – ACA: SIGNIFICANT DROP IN 2024 HEALTH PLAN AFFORDABLITY
The 2024 health plan affordability threshold* is dropping next year, according to the recent announcement by the IRS. This change, detailed in IRS Rev. Proc. 2023-29, marks a significant decrease in the affordability threshold compared to 2023 and is the lowest since...
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES PROPOSED TO VOLUNTARY BENEFIT PLAN RULES
The federal Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury recently issued a proposed regulation that would significantly change how many employer-sponsored hospital indemnity, specified disease, and other fixed indemnity insurance plans are designed....
NEW GUIDANCE ISSUED ON SURPRISE BILLING, OUT-OF-POCKET LIMITS, AND FACILITY FEES
Late last week, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury (the Departments) published a set of FAQs that clarify how certain surprise billing protections interact with the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) maximum out-of-pocket limit (OOP)...
IRS REMINDS PLAN SPONSORS OF CAFETERIA PLAN CLAIMS SUBSTATIATION REQUIREMENTS
The federal Section 125 “cafeteria plan" regulations permit health plans to reimburse participants for qualifying medical and dependent care expenses on a pre-tax basis through health flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and dependent care assistance plans (DCAPs) if...
IRS CONFIRMS CERTAIN “WELLNESS” PROGRAMS CANNOT BE USED TO AVOID TAXATION
Over the past several years, the employer-plan marketplace has seen a rise in “fixed-indemnity wellness policies,” which promise to help both employers and employees save on income and employment taxes. Under these arrangements, employees elect to defer cash on a...