Yesterday, the Obama administration announced a partial delay in the effective date of one of the key requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”) – the employer “shared responsibility” requirements (a.k.a. “pay or play”).
Continue Reading PPACA Update: Employer Shared Responsibility Mandate Delayed Again…For Some Employers, But Not All

Employers are required to provide a notice to employees regarding coverage options under the new Health Insurance Marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act that are scheduled to be up and running on October 1. Much is uncertain about how the rollout of the Health Insurance Marketplaces will go on October 1; however, one thing is for certain: employees are likely to have many questions and misunderstandings regarding their options under the Affordable Care Act.
Continue Reading Healthcare Reform Update: The Top Five Questions Employees Will Be Asking on October 1

As we discussed with attendees at our most recent health care reform compliance seminar in June, we wanted to make the presentation available to the readers of our blog. You can access the PowerPoint, “Countdown to 2014: PPACA Compliance Priorities for Employers,” by clicking through to this blog post.
Continue Reading PPACA Presentation – Countdown to 2014: PPACA Compliance Opportunities for Employers

Many employers received a welcome, though temporary, reprieve yesterday, when the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced a one-year delay in the effective date of one of the key requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – the employer “shared responsibility” requirements (a.k.a. “pay or play”).
Continue Reading PPACA Update: Employer Shared Responsibility Mandate Delayed Until 2015

Although the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is now over three years old, the Act’s core requirements will not take effect until 2014. The last half of 2013 should be a “wild ride” as the federal agencies charged with implementing the Act scramble to prepare for 2014 and employers weigh their compliance options. Recently, attorneys in McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC’s Labor and Employment Law Group prepared a white paper entitled: “Health Care Reform Update: Countdown to 2014.” The White Paper is part of our ongoing PPACA series that is intended to keep clients abreast of recent developments and things to watch for as we count down to 2014. This installment addresses:

1. PCORI Fees: July 2013 Filing Deadline
2. Compliance Loopholes, Shortcuts and Silver Bullets
3. Update on Required Notice of Health Care Exchanges
4. Final Wellness Program Regulations
Continue Reading Health Care Reform Update: Countdown to 2014

This post was contributed by Stephen R. Kern, Esq., a Member in the Employee Benefits Practice Group.

The U.S. Department of Labor (the "DOL") has recently enhanced its enforcement activities with respect to group health plans by significantly increasing the number of audits it is conducting. In addition, the DOL’s audit letters contain significant document requests

Late last week, the Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services issued a new Frequently Asked Question (“FAQ”) page addressing implementation questions under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”).  Of particular note in the latest FAQ is the Departments’ announcement is the delayed effective date for the written notice of

On December 28, 2012, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) issued long-awaited proposed regulations regarding the “shared responsibility” penalty provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”). In addition to consolidating prior IRS guidance on the subject, the proposed regulations also contain some surprising interpretations of PPACA’s penalty provisions. Employers will likely be pleased by some of these interpretations and disappointed with others.
Continue Reading IRS Proposed Regulations On PPACA’S Shared Responsibility Provisions Full of New Year Surprises (Some Good For Employers – Some Not)

This post was contributed by Eric N. Athey, Esq., a Member in McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC’s Labor and Employment Practice Group.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("PPACA") requires "large employers" (i.e., those regularly employing 50 or more full-time equivalents) to provide "affordable" health coverage of "minimum value" to "full-time employees" and

With the re-election of President Obama in November, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. “healthcare reform” or “Obamacare”) survived its second major challenge in 2012. Many employers had been awaiting the outcome of the election before devoting substantial effort to long-term compliance planning. The period of “wait and see” is now over and employers are well-advised to start looking ahead to 2014, when the Act’s most significant provisions take effect. Employers should expect a steady stream of PPACA guidance and regulations flowing out of Washington over the next twelve months. The first significant post-election installment of PPACA guidance was issued on November 20, 2012 when the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) jointly issued two Proposed Rules and one Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
Continue Reading Healthcare Reform Update: Recent Federal Guidance Focuses on 2014