“On June 13, 2019, the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Treasury (the “Departments”), published final regulations which significantly broaden the types of health plans that may be integrated with a health reimbursement arrangement (“HRA”). More specifically, beginning January 2020, the finalized rules allow HRAs to be integrated with certain qualifying individual health plan coverage and/or Medicare. The final rules reverse current guidance which requires HRAs to be integrated with only qualifying group health plan coverage. Practically speaking, this means that employers, beginning in 2020, will be allowed to subsidize employee premiums in the individual health insurance market and/or Medicare using pre-tax dollars, provided certain conditions are met. The final rules also allow certain HRAs to reimburse participants for certain premiums paid for excepted benefits. To achieve these results, the final rules create two new types of HRAs.
Posts Tagged ‘health insurance coverage’
New Final Regulations Expand the Availability of HRAs
Wednesday, July 24th, 2019Explaining Texas v. U.S.: A Guide to the 5th Circuit Appeal in the Case Challenging the ACA
Wednesday, July 24th, 2019“On July 9, 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit will hear oral argument in Texas v. U.S., the next round of litigation challenging the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The appeals court is reviewing a federal trial court’s decision that the ACA’s minimum essential coverage provision (known as the individual mandate) is unconstitutional and, as a result, requires the entire ACA to be overturned. The individual mandate provides that most people must maintain a minimum level of health insurance coverage; those who do not do so must pay a financial penalty (known as the shared responsibility payment) to the IRS. The individual mandate was upheld as a constitutional exercise of Congress’ taxing power by a five member majority of the U.S. Supreme Court in NFIB v. Sebelius in 2012.
Why You Still Absolutely Need Health Insurance Despite the Death of the Penalty
Monday, May 20th, 2019“Starting in 2019, you’ll no longer owe a fine to the IRS if you don’t have qualifying health insurance coverage. While the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, imposed a tax penalty for those who opted out of coverage, the mandate was eliminated with the tax reform law passed in late 2017.
Most Americans want lower health care costs, not ‘Medicare for All’ or Obamacare repeal
Monday, May 20th, 2019“Washington may be obsessed with enacting “Medicare for All” or repealing Obamacare, but Americans have other priorities.
They want Congress to prioritize reducing health care costs and protecting those with pre-existing conditions, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll released Wednesday.
Federal judge rules Obama’s health care overhaul unconstitutional
Thursday, January 3rd, 2019“A conservative federal judge in Texas on Friday ruled the Affordable Care Act “invalid” on the eve of the sign-up deadline for next year. But with appeals certain, even the Trump White House said the law will remain in place for now.
Short-Term, Limited-Duration Insurance Final Rule
Tuesday, August 21st, 2018“Background
The Secretaries of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services published a proposed rule to consider allowing short-term, limited-duration insurance to cover longer periods and be renewed by the consumer on February 21, 2018 in response to both stakeholder input in the Request for Information “Reducing Regulatory Burdens Imposed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act & Improving Healthcare Choices to Empower Patients,” as well as Executive Order 13813 entitled “Promoting Healthcare Choice and Competition Across the United States.”
12 Attorneys General File Lawsuit Over Association Health Plans
Tuesday, August 21st, 2018Health Payer Intelligence reports:
A dozen state attorneys general are suing the Department of Labor (DOL) over the expansion of association health plan (AHPs).
In the suit, which was filed in the DC District Court of Appeals, the officials argue that broad availability of AHPs violates the consumer protections included in the Affordable Care Act.
The DOL’s final rule allows contractors and individuals in similar industries to enroll in AHPs that operate outside of the ACA’s enforceable policies.
Fact Sheet: Short-Term, Limited-Duration Insurance Final Rule
Thursday, August 2nd, 2018“Background
The Secretaries of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services published a proposed rule to consider allowing short-term, limited-duration insurance to cover longer periods and be renewed by the consumer on February 21, 2018 in response to both stakeholder input in the Request for Information “Reducing Regulatory Burdens Imposed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act & Improving Healthcare Choices to Empower Patients,” as well as Executive Order 13813 entitled “Promoting Healthcare Choice and Competition Across the United States.”
