Plan administrators should review actions to be taken before the end of 2023 and focus on what to expect for 2024. This checklist addresses plan amendments, notices and other considerations for qualified retirement plans,...more
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt shares insight on what employers need to consider now that the Affordable Care Act benchmark for determining the affordability of employer-sponsored...more
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) decreased the Affordable Care Act (ACA) affordability percentage for 2024 to 8.39%. This percentage is used to assess whether an applicable large employer’s (ALE) lowest-premium health plan...more
9/28/2023
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Compliance ,
Employee Contributions ,
Employer Contributions ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Employer Mandates ,
Federal Poverty Line ,
Health Insurance ,
IRS ,
Large Employer ,
Safe Harbors
Plan administrators should review actions to be taken before the end of 2022 and focus on what to expect for 2023. This checklist addresses plan amendments, notices and other considerations for qualified retirement plans,...more
11/22/2022
/ 401k ,
CARES Act ,
Contribution Limits ,
Defined Benefit Plans ,
Defined Contribution Plans ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Health and Welfare Plans ,
Plan Administrators ,
Qualified Retirement Plans ,
Retirement Plan ,
Safe Harbors ,
SECURE Act
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt is joined by his colleague, Allison Carlon, who helps us better understand what employers need to know about the Consolidations Appropriations Act...more
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (“CAA” or the “Act”) includes several transparency requirements for health plans. Some of these requirements are already in effect for plan years beginning on or after January 1,...more
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt discusses the group health plan broker and consultant compensation disclosure requirements under the Consolidated Appropriations Act and what you...more
Group health plans and health insurance issuers are now required to cover the cost of over-the-counter (OTC) COVID-19 diagnostic tests. Last week, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury issued...more
1/19/2022
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Biden Administration ,
CARES Act ,
Compliance Dates ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Health Insurance ,
New Guidance ,
Reimbursements ,
U.S. Treasury ,
Virus Testing
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt is joined by Kristin Henshaw, a Senior Health and Benefits Consultant and Virginia Health Business Leader with Mercer. Kristin shares what employers...more
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt discusses the Biden administration’s interim final rule that requires health plans to report prescription drug and health coverage costs and its...more
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt explores compliance considerations for employers who are considering imposing a health insurance surcharge on plan participants who are not...more
As described in our previous alert, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the ARPA), provides a full subsidy for COBRA premiums for certain qualified beneficiaries entitled to COBRA continuation coverage from April 1, 2021,...more
4/12/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Biden Administration ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Health Insurance ,
Medicaid ,
Notice Requirements ,
Premium Subsidies ,
Public Health Insurance Marketplace ,
Relief Measures ,
Tax Credits
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the ARPA), signed into law by President Biden on March 11, 2021, includes provisions affecting employee benefit plan sponsors. The ARPA provides relief to certain COBRA qualified...more
3/16/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Biden Administration ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Defined Benefit Plans ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Flexible Spending Accounts ,
Multi-Employer Pensions ,
Premium Subsidies ,
Relief Measures
Last year, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) jointly offered extensions and other relief to employee benefit plan administrators who might be struggling to meet various filing, notice,...more
3/2/2021
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
EBSA ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Filing Deadlines ,
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) ,
IRS ,
Relief Measures ,
Retirement Plan ,
Time Extensions
On the latest episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt is joined by colleague Nona Massengill to discuss important steps that plan administrators need to take before the end of 2020. They will...more
On the latest episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt discusses the differences between furloughs and layoffs and how each can impact employee benefits, such as 401(k) plans and group health plans....more
8/11/2020
/ 401k ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Best Practices ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Furloughs ,
Health Plan Sponsors ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Layoffs ,
Retirement Plan ,
Risk Mitigation
Employee Benefits Partner Brydon DeWitt summarizes the differences between furloughs and layoffs and how each can impact employee benefits, such as 401(k) plans and group health plans....more
On the latest episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon explains the Department of Labor’s Disaster Relief Notice that extends certain filing and notification timeframes applicable to employee benefit plans...more
7/15/2020
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Filing Deadlines ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
Health Plan Sponsors ,
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) ,
IRS ,
Notification Requirements ,
Relief Measures ,
Time Extensions
On the latest episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt discusses new opportunities that the IRS and COVID-19 legislative relief have created for health flexible spending and cafeteria plans....more
The Senate has passed a third COVID-19 relief bill. The House is expected to pass the act on Friday, March 27, and the President has announced that he will sign it once passed by the House....more
On the latest episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, Ellie Clendenin, Nona Massengill, and Brydon DeWitt discuss some end of year benefit plan considerations as 2020 approaches. ...more
12/6/2019
/ Benefit Plan Reimbursements ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Defined Benefit Plans ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Electronic Disclosure ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Executive Compensation ,
New Regulations ,
New Rules ,
Plan Administrators ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Wage and Hour ,
Year-End Planning
Brydon DeWitt discusses captive insurance arrangement strategies with CPA Scott Bailey, Jr., a partner at Carr, Riggs & Ingram....more
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, Brydon DeWitt reviews the final health reimbursement regulations that go into effect on January 1, 2020....more
9/18/2019
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Final Rules ,
HRA ,
IRS ,
Large Employer ,
Medical Reimbursement ,
Premiums ,
Small Employers
Topics include legal considerations for:
• 401(k) Plan participation: Designing a 401(k) plan to increase enrollment and retirement savings
• Financial Wellness Programs: Preparing employees for financial security during...more
8/26/2019
/ 401k ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Events ,
Health Insurance ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Investment Management ,
Retirement Plan ,
Wellness Programs
[co-author: Claire Pollock, Paralegal]
In this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, Brydon DeWitt and Claire Pollock discuss proposed health reimbursement arrangement regulations that may provide welcome relief...more
4/26/2019
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health Insurance ,
Health Insurance Exchanges ,
HRA ,
IRS ,
Medical Expenses ,
Medical Reimbursement ,
Premiums ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Small Employers