New final regulations on Exchange and Insurance Market Standards for 2015 and Beyond published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on May 16, 2014 confirm the end of the requirement to issue certificates of creditable coverage. Certificates of creditable coverage are no longer required after December 31, 2014. This information does […]
IRS Highlights Stiff Penalty for Reimbursing Individual Premiums
May 21, 2014 By
Since the IRS and Treasury published Notice 2013-54 in September 2013, pre-tax employer reimbursement of an employee’s individual health insurance premiums has been a hot topic of conversation. Historically, many employers have provided this type of benefit in lieu of offering a group health plan – a strategy that now needs to be reevaluated as […]
New Special Enrollment Period for COBRA Participants – 3 Things Employers Should Know
May 20, 2014 By
On May 2, 2014, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) revealed a new special enrollment period designed to allow current COBRA participants to terminate COBRA coverage and purchase a plan through the Marketplace between May 2, 2014 and July 1, 2014. In a bulletin published May 2, HHS cited concerns about whether […]
HHS Specifies End of PCIP Coverage as “Exceptional Circumstance” For Exchange Special Enrollment
April 25, 2014 By
On April 24, 2014, CMS flexed its regulatory muscle by issuing a notice allowing participants in the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Program (PCIP) until June 30, 2014 to enroll in a qualified health plan offered through the Exchange, also known as the Health Insurance Marketplace. Introduced as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act […]
