The Chartwell Chronicles: An Overview of New Jersey Workers' Compensation
Midyear Premium Increases and Cafeteria Plan Rules
The D&O Renewal Market: Will the Wild Ride of Premium Increases, Stretched Capacity and Restrictive Terms Continue?
Health Reimbursement Arrangement Update
Podcast: Health Reimbursement Arrangements
Is Private/Non-Profit D&O Coverage Under Priced?
Does the Affordable Care Act really make health insurance more affordable?
For the first time in four years, the IRS adjusted the affordability percentage used for the shared responsibility penalties. The IRS recently announced that the affordability percentage for 2025 will be 9.02%....more
This study summarizes research conducted on behalf of the Rhode Island Foundation and partner organizations in early 2024....more
For the third year in a row, the IRS adjusted the affordability percentage used for the shared responsibility penalties down. The IRS recently announced that the affordability percentage for 2024 will be 8.39%. This is down...more
Last week, the US Supreme Court blocked the OSHA standard requiring private employers with 100 employees or more to vaccinate-or-test for COVID-19 from taking effect (more info here). With the fate of that standard likely...more
The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a set of Frequently Asked Questions about the interaction of HIPAA, the Affordable Care Act, and various group health plan issues relating to the COVID-19...more
The recent announcement that Delta Airlines will begin imposing a $200 per month health insurance surcharge on unvaccinated employees has prompted many employers to consider whether a similar surcharge may be an alternative...more
As many companies continue to struggle with low employee COVID-19 vaccination rates, some employers are evaluating imposing higher premiums for unvaccinated employees under their group medical plans. These employers see this...more
Last week, a client asked a timely and interesting question. The employer asked whether it can begin charging higher group health insurance premiums to employees who have declined the COVID-19 vaccination....more
Carlton Fields tax attorney Lowell Walters discusses issues that can arise when employers with group health plans increase the premiums paid by employees midyear, which we might see more of since certain grandfathered health...more
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) provides temporary COBRA continuation coverage premium assistance for certain eligible qualified beneficiaries. On April 7, 2021, the Department of Labor issued a FAQ and model...more
As previously reported in EmployNews, the American Rescue Plan Act provides “assistance eligible individuals” with the option to receive fully-subsidized COBRA coverage from April 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021....more
Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), which was passed by Congress on March 11, 2021, the cost of health insurance coverage pursuant to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (“COBRA”) is...more
A COBRA subsidy program was enacted in March 2021 under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). On April 7, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released guidance and model notices on an information…...more
On April 7, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued welcome guidance - including eagerly-anticipated model notices - to help employers and their COBRA administrators implement the temporary six-month (April 1 to...more
Less than a month after the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) was signed into law, new U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) guidance and model forms are clearing up a number of employer concerns about the 100 percent COBRA...more
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). This Client Advisory focuses on the new mandatory and voluntary provisions for employee benefit plans and raises questions about the impact of the...more
There are many more than 10 issues that are of concern to employers in connection with the current crisis. Nevertheless, employers are dealing with certain recurrent matters....more
In an effort to alleviate the COVID-19 public health threat, the Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI) issued bulletin 2020-03, titled “Health Insurance Coverage Flexibility for Ohio Employees” (the Bulletin), effective March 20...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
Many employers have contacted us over the years asking whether they may offer an “employer–payment plan” rather than offer a traditional group health insurance plan. An employer-payment plan is a type of account-based plan...more
[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
Appeals Court ruling supports MA organization request for refund of B&O taxes paid on premiums - On April 1, 2019, the Washington Court of Appeals Division 1 ruled unanimously in a published opinion that premiums received by...more
On February 28, 2019, the Oregon Senate passed legislation that will extend and increase the tax paid on group medical insurance premiums. The legislation (HB 2010) was previously approved by the Oregon House and is expected...more
The chart below compares key provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the American Health Care Act (AHCA) and the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). This chart is current as of July 13, 2017, and as of that date,...more
In the past, many employers (especially smaller companies) have offered to pay their employees’ premiums for individual healthcare insurance instead of sponsoring their own group health plans. With the advent of the...more