Does Enrolling in Medicare Trigger an Offer of COBRA? | IL Employee Benefits Advisors

Enrolling in Medicare does not cause COBRA to start. Under the federal rules, COBRA must be offered to persons enrolled in the employer’s health plan only if they lose coverage because of certain specific events. Termination of employment is an example of a COBRA qualifying event. Becoming eligible for Medicare, or enrolling in Medicare, is not a … Continued

IRS Provides Guidance on Premium Assistance and Tax Credit for Continuation Health Coverage | Illinois Employee Benefits Agency

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today provided guidance on tax breaks under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for continuation health coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA). Notice 2021-31 PDF provides guidance for employers, plan administrators, and health insurers regarding the new credit available to them for providing continuation health … Continued

Health Plan PCORI Fees Are Due July 31 | Illinois Employee Benefits

Do you offer coverage to your employees through a self-insured group health plan? Do you sponsor a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)? If so, do you know whether your plan or HRA is subject to the annual Patient-Centered Research Outcomes Institute (PCORI) fee? This article answers frequently-asked questions about the PCORI fee, which plans are affected, … Continued

Electronic Delivery of ERISA Notices | Chicago Benefits Advisors

Q. Can we provide summary plan descriptions (SPDs) electronically? A. Yes. However, just sending them is not enough to meet ERISA requirements; you must ensure the intended recipients are actually getting them. Specifically, ERISA requires SPDs to be furnished using “measures reasonably calculated to ensure actual receipt of the material” via “methods likely to result … Continued

Latest IRS ACA Round Up (Including 2018 Cost-of-Living Adjustments) | Chicago Benefit Advisors

Recently, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued the instructions for Forms 1094/1095 for the 2017 tax year, announced PCORI fees for 2017-18, and announced cost-of-living adjustments for 2018. The IRS provided additional guidance on leave-based donation programs’ tax treatment and released an information letter on COBRA and Medicare. Here’s a recap of these actions for … Continued

The COBRA Payment Process | Chicago Benefit Advisors

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) allows qualified beneficiaries who lose health benefits due to a qualifying event to continue group health benefits. The COBRA payment process is subject to various rules in terms of grace periods, notification, premium payment methods, and treatment of insignificant shortfalls. Grace Periods The initial premium payment … Continued

Best Practices for Initial COBRA Notices | Chicago Benefit Advisors

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) requires group health plans to provide notices to covered employees and their families explaining their COBRA rights when certain events occur. The initial notice, also referred to as the general notice, communicates general COBRA rights and obligations to each covered employee (and his or her spouse) … Continued

Top Five Compliance Assessment Surprises | Chicago Benefit Advisors

Our Firm is making a big push to provide compliance assessments for our clients and using them as a marketing tool with prospects. Since the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) began its Health Benefits Security Project in October 2012, there has been increased scrutiny. While none of our clients have been audited yet, we expect … Continued

IRS Q&A About Employer Information Reporting on Form 1094-C and Form 1095-C | Chicago Benefit Advisors

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently updated its longstanding Questions and Answers about Information Reporting by Employers on Form 1094-C and Form 1095-C that provides information on: Basics of Employer Reporting Reporting Offers of Coverage and other Enrollment Information Reporting for Governmental Units Reporting Offers of COBRA Continuation Coverage and Post-Employment Coverage Reporting Coverage under … Continued

Implications of the 21st Century Cures Act | Chicago Benefit Advisors

On December 13, 2016, former President Obama signed the 21st Century Cures Act into law. The Cures Act has numerous components, but employers should be aware of the impact the Act will have on the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, as well as provisions that will impact how small employers can use health … Continued