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Reelin’ in the Year: DOL Clarifies COBRA Time Frames Related to COVID-19

On Friday, February 26, the Department of Labor (DOL) published Disaster Relief Notice 2021-01, a follow up to the Joint Notice published May 4, 2020. The May notice required that health and retirement plans disregard a number of deadlines for individuals during the COVID-19 National Emergency, plus a 60-day period (the “Outbreak Period”) starting March 1, 2020. The COBRA deadlines impacted in the May 2020 notice include: The February 26 notice clarifies the position of

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Press Release: New Whitepaper Examines Administrative Concerns with COBRA and COVID-19 Deadlines

DataPath examines the effects of COVID-19 on COBRA and upcoming ERISA plan deadlines LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS (February 16, 2021) – DataPath, Inc., a leading developer of technology solutions for employee benefits administration, has published a whitepaper titled, “COVID-19 and COBRA Continuation Insurance: Where Do We Stand?” The paper takes a deeper look at the effect of the COVID-19 healthcare crisis on the economy – specifically, its impact on the COBRA insurance market – and how

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COVID-19 Outbreak Period for ERISA Plans Expires February 28

Third-Party Administrators (TPAs) need to be aware of the upcoming end to the COVID-19 outbreak period for group health plans. This deadline, which ends February 28, 2021, could cause unfamiliar administrative burdens on TPAs. In May 2020, following the passage of the CARES Act, the IRS and DOL issued a joint notice on COVID-19 deadline extensions for ERISA. The February 28, 2021 end date is based on the CARES Act, which determined the outbreak period

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HRA vs HSA: Examining the Similarities and Differences

Do you know the difference between a HRA vs HSA? The key difference between the two is that an HRA is employer-owned whereas an HSA is employee-owned. With an HSA, the employee keeps the account and can transfer it when he or she changes jobs. Account holders may also invest their HSA funds.

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Health FSA and DCAP Carryover Rules Approved for 2021

In December 2020, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA), a $900 billion COVID stimulus bill. The legislation was aimed at helping Americans cope with pandemic-related challenges. Along with stimulus payments and other financial provisions, the bill also included modified carryover and dependent rules for Dependent Care Assistance Plan (DCAP) benefits, spend-down for health Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), election changes, and other updates. Traditionally, DCAP benefits have not included a carryover provision. However, with

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Understanding the HSA Withdrawal Penalty and Other Useful Information

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are a wonderful tool for saving money on healthcare expenses. When you enroll in a qualified high deductible health plan and sign up for an HSA, you contribute pre-tax money into an account then withdraw those funds for qualified healthcare expenses. When used for qualified expenses, withdrawals are tax-free. However, many HSA owners wonder if the money can be used for non-qualified expenses. If so, is there an HSA withdrawal penalty?

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Dependent Care FSA and Carryover – Is Relief Coming?

Since early 2020, the U.S. has been reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone throughout the country has been impacted in one way or another. From economic uncertainty to school and public safety concerns, adults and children alike have had to learn to deal with a new reality. One impact of COVID-19 that continues to trouble American workers is their employer-sponsored benefits. In particular, with schools, summer camps, and child care facilities closing or altering their

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How Does Medicare Enrollment Impact HSA Eligibility?

For people enrolled in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) and have (or are considering) an HSA, some commonly asked questions include “Does Medicare Enrollment Impact HSA Eligibility?” Here are the answers to this question and others.

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Are We at Risk of a COBRA Avalanche? COVID-19 COBRA Compliance and Other Concerns for Benefits Administrators

Since the COVID-19 outbreak began in the United States, jobs have been lost at an alarming rate. As these job losses are through no fault of the employees, they are considered qualifying events for COBRA purposes. This allows employees to apply for the continuing health insurance coverage through their employers. While Congress has passed a variety of economic stimulus legislation, most notably the CARES Act in March 2020, to help lessen the impact of COVID,

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What is an ICHRA? 5 Questions Employees Have About ICHRAs

Most healthcare consumers know about Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). These popular healthcare benefit accounts allow individuals and families to cover out-of-pocket healthcare costs by setting aside money before taxes are taken out. There are rules about account eligibility, contribution limits, and more. Plus, the funds must be spent on IRS-approved healthcare products. If they spend funds on ineligible items and services, account holders could face taxes or penalties. These accounts

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