COVID-19

ARCHIVE | FAQs About COVID-19 National Emergency End

This article was published during the COVID-19 period and reflects regulations at that time. Requirements and policies may no longer be current. Please refer to official local authorities for up-to-date guidance. The Biden Administration is currently expected to end the COVID-19 National Emergency on May 11, 2023. In preparation, the departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services released Q&A Part 58 on March 29. In addition to reviewing the highlights below, you are

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ARCHIVE | Where We Are: COVID-19 Relief and Health Plans

This article was published during the COVID-19 period and reflects regulations at that time. Requirements and policies may no longer be current. Please refer to official local authorities for up-to-date guidance. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, many relief measures have been enacted, from stimulus payments to extended deadlines to COBRA subsidies. Keeping up with these relief measures, how long they apply and what employers need to do to stay compliant can be most challenging. With expiration

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WHITEPAPER: How Has the Pandemic Impacted Employee Benefit Strategies?

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected virtually every aspect of our lives. While the most prominent impact was an almost immediate quarantine and vast expansion of employees working from home, another significant consequence is how much the pandemic shook employees’ sense of security. Many businesses faced major revenue shortfalls and responded with cost-cutting measures, including layoffs and furloughs. Consequently, many Americans lost their sense of security regarding their jobs, economic standing, and overall health. As we

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“How the Pandemic Has Refocused Employee Benefit Strategies” – BenefitsPRO Features Article by DataPath CMO

COVID-19 has changed the way we live and work. Many Americans have lost their sense of security regarding jobs, economic standing, and overall health. To attract and retain talent in a post-pandemic world, employers and their brokers must be more creative. Crafting a benefits strategy that helps workers regain a sense of security and well-being is not just smart business, it’s the right thing to do. By Bo Armstrong Originally Posted by BenefitsPROOctober 6, 2021

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How Work Furloughs Affect FSA Accounts

Nearly 6.2 million workers were on furlough from their jobs in August 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). While that number decreased to 1.25 million by August 2021, between 15-22% of all unemployed persons throughout 2021 were on furlough. A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is a financial tool that helps workers cover out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. In 2021, there are 31.7 million FSA accounts in force. FSAs are sponsored by employers and

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Ready to quit smoking? Your FSA or HSA can help

Although COVID-19 was a top health story in 2020, another disturbing health trend also emerged with fewer people quitting smoking. The health dangers of smoking cigarettes have been well-documented since the U.S. surgeon general’s groundbreaking report in 1964. The number of adults who smoke was down to an estimated 14 percent in 2019, and cigarette sales steadily continued declining year after year until 2020, when they increased slightly. 1-800-QUIT-NOW, a national portal connecting callers to local

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ARCHIVE | COVID-19 PPE Now Eligible for FSA, HRA, HSA Plans

This article was published during the COVID-19 period and reflects regulations at that time. Requirements and policies may no longer be current. Please refer to official local authorities for up-to-date guidance. The fight against COVID-19 has expanded to the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) items. On Friday, March 26, the IRS released Announcement 2021-7, which qualifies PPE purchased for the primary purpose of preventing the spread of COVID-19 as medical expenses under section 213(d) of

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

This article was published during the COVID-19 period and reflects regulations at that time. Requirements and policies may no longer be current. Please refer to official local authorities for up-to-date guidance. 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

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ARCHIVE | COVID-19 Outbreak Period for ERISA Plans Expires February 28

This article was published during the COVID-19 period and reflects regulations at that time. Requirements and policies may no longer be current. Please refer to official local authorities for up-to-date guidance. 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,

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