The enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 launched an extended period during which far-reaching changes to the American healthcare system took effect.
Affordable Care Act Overview
The ACA was implemented in stages and encompasses several major areas:
Measures to encourage more employers to provide coverage, such as the...
“Qualified benefits” include such things as health insurance, dental and vision coverage, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment coverage, and short and long-term disability benefits. For example, employees may be given a choice between the more expensive PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) or the less expensive HMO (...
Flexible spending account limitation put off
By Jeffrey Ashendorf
Ford & Harrison LLP
One very popular employee benefit in recent years has been the healthcare flexible spending account (FSA), under which employees may elect to forgo taxable salary and instead receive tax-free reimbursement of eligible healthcare expenses. As part of the...
New legislation would stop FSA “use it or lose it” rule
The Medical FSA Improvement Act of 2011 (H.R. 1004), a new bill that was recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, would bring an end to the “use it or lose it rule” that affects medical flexible spending accounts (FSAs). Under the bill, employees...
By Jenifer A. Cromwell and Brigen L. Winters
Groom Law Group, Chartered
Breastfeeding mothers and plan administrators take note – the IRS has concluded that breast pumps and lactation supplies are medical care under Internal Revenue Code Section 213(d). (See IRS Announcement 2011-14.) This change allows:
flexible spending accounts (...
By: Fritz Richter, Curtis Fisher, John Kirk, David Thornton, and Mike MooreBass, Berry & Sims PLC
Health flexible spending arrangements (FSAs) have become a very popular benefit for employees in recent years. As a result, most employers offer these arrangements as part of their overall benefit programs. While the recently enacted health...
By Fritz Richter, Curtis Fisher, John Kirk, David Thornton, and Mike MooreBass, Berry & Sims, PLC
Health flexible spending arrangements (FSAs) have become a very popular benefit for employees in recent years. As a result, most employers offer these arrangements as part of their overall benefit programs. While the recently enacted health...
House leadership pushes controversial votes. As the elections get closer, the Republican leadership is using its final weeks to schedule votes on key campaign issues such as health care and tax cuts. However, just like Congress' votes to partially block the new overtime rules, most of those bills aren't expected to be enacted into...
