This Advisory provides a summary of recent developments impacting Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) requirements applicable to employers, as well as other recent changes impacting employer-sponsored health plans. ACA...more
Legislation enacted by Congress has repealed three excise taxes that had been previously imposed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the “Affordable Care Act”). Congress recently enacted the Taxpayer Certainty...more
Despite multiple challenges, many portions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) are still in effect and employers are taking steps to remain in compliance with the law. This fact sheet is intended as a...more
In enacting the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, (the “Act”), Congress, among other changes, enacted the following key changes affecting employer group health plans...more
On December 20, 2019, President Donald Trump signed into law the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Act). After years of delayed effective dates, the Act finally repeals the 40% excise tax on high-cost health...more
Sponsors of health plans have long known that the only constant in life is change. In 2020, that is surely to remain true....more
Editor's Overview - Happy New Year. We wrap-up 2019 with an article that reflects on significant developments in ERISA litigation during 2019, and takes a look at what's on the horizon for 2020. The courts (at all levels)...more
The year-end federal spending bill, the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (“FCAA”), was signed into law on December 20, 2019. Although the media spotlight has focused primarily on provisions affecting retirement...more
On December 20, 2019, the President signed into law a bill to fund the federal government through September 30, 2020. The bill included several important health care provisions but left some longstanding policy challenges...more
On Thursday, December 19, the Senate passed two spending bills to fund the government through September 30, 2020, one of which (H.R. 1865, the “Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020” or the “Act”) contains the...more
On December 20, President Trump signed the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (the “Act”), a year-end spending bill that includes key provisions that will affect employer-sponsored benefit plans. This legal alert...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: We previously blogged that the so-called Cadillac tax was movin’ out. Well, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (“PCORI”) fee is moving back in. On December 20th, the President signed the...more
Last Friday, President Trump signed into law two bipartisan legislative packages that included all twelve Fiscal Year 2020 funding bills. Comprehensive surprise billing and drug pricing legislation were not included in the...more
Last Friday night, President Trump signed into law a year-end $1.4 trillion spending bill that will fund the government through September 30, 2020. Included in the bill were a number of provisions that impact...more
On December 20, 2019, the President signed into law the “Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020” (the “Act”). Among many other things, the Act repeals the Affordable Care Act’s controversial 40% excise tax on high-cost...more
Insurers feast on uncertainty the way most of us attack a holiday spread. They can relish risk because they know it can mean higher premiums and profits for their dealing with clients’ risks. This is one point to keep in mind...more
After being on the verge of enactment last spring but failing to pass, the SECURE Act will become law after all. Congress included the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (H.R. 1994) (the SECURE...more
In a rare display of bipartisanship, after intense last minute negotiations between congressional leadership and the Executive Branch, President Donald Trump signed into law legislation passed last week by Congress to...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Although it is not law yet, according to the must-pass spending legislation passed by both the House and Senate, it looks like the infamous Cadillac Tax and the Annual Fee on Health Insurance Providers (HIP...more
Earlier this week, the House of Representatives passed a budget bill, HR 1158, and a related bill, HR 1865, to enact the "Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act," referred to as the “SECURE Act.” The SECURE...more
The congressional spending bill for 2020 will be released today. Reports indicate that the bill will permanently repeal three separate taxes originally implemented by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). All three of the taxes are...more
Yesterday, language to eliminate the Cadillac and other ACA taxes was included in must pass spending legislation. The Consolidated Spending Bill is set to be voted on by the House and Senate and signed by the President by...more
Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), applicable large employers are required to offer minimum essential coverage (that is both affordable and meets the minimum value standard) to at least 95 percent of their eligible...more
One of the most controversial taxes of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is in danger of repeal. The tax colloquially known as the “Cadillac Tax” was supposed to take effect in 2018, but Congress has delayed it twice. With the...more
Below is this week’s “Capitol Hill Healthcare Update,” which is posted on Mondays when Congress is in session. MAJOR HEALTH POLICY UNLIKELY IN POTENTIAL DEBT-SPENDING DEAL - As House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and...more