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The Department of the Treasury (Treasury), Department of Labor (DOL), and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (collectively, the Departments) released their proposed rule regarding health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) and other account-based group health plans. The DOL also issued a news release and fact sheet on the proposed rule. The proposed rule’s goal is to […]
Posts Tagged ‘HRA’
PCORI Fee Increase for Health Plans | California Benefits Consultants
On November 5, 2018, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Notice 2018-85 to announce that the health plan Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee for plan years ending between October 1, 2018 and September 30, 2019 will be $2.45 per plan participant. This is an increase from the prior year’s fee of $2.39 due to […]
All About Medical Savings Accounts | CA Employee Benefit Advisors
Taking control of health care expenses is on the top of most people’s to-do list for 2018. The average premium increase for 2018 is 18% for Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans. So, how do you save money on health care when the costs seems to keep increasing faster than wage increases? One way is through […]
2018 Amounts for HSAs; Retroactive Medicare Coverage Effect on Contributions | California Benefit Advisors
IRS Releases 2018 Amounts for HSAs The IRS released Revenue Procedure 2017-37 that sets the dollar limits for health savings accounts (HSAs) and high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) for 2018. For calendar year 2018, the annual contribution limit for an individual with self-only coverage under an HDHP is $3,450, and the annual contribution limit for an […]
Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangements and ERISA | California Benefit Advisors
Certain small employers have the option to reimburse individual health coverage premiums up to a dollar limit through Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangements (QSE HRAs) under the 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act). The Cures Act amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to exclude QSE HRAs from the ERISA definition […]
Why some companies offer an HRA | California Benefit Advisors
In a world of insurance and acronyms, the term “HRA” is thrown around a lot, but it has a variety of meanings. HRA can mean health reimbursement account, heath reimbursement arrangement, or health risk assessment, and all of those mean something different. I want to be clear that in the following article I am going […]
FAQ on HIPAA Special Enrollment; QSE HRAs Released | California Benefit Advisors
Recently, the Department of Labor (DOL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Treasury (collectively, the Departments) issued FAQs About Affordable Care Act Implementation Part 35. The FAQ covers a new HIPAA special enrollment period, an update on women’s preventive services that must be covered, and clarifying information on qualifying small employer health […]
The Shift Away from Health Risk Assessments | California Employee Benefits
Historically, employers have utilized health risk assessments (HRAs) as one measurement tool in wellness program design. The main goals of an HRA are to assess individual health status and risk and provide feedback to participants on how to manage risk. Employers have traditionally relied on this type of assessment to evaluate the overall health risk […]
Best and Worst Health Savings Accounts for Singles, Families | Benefits Specialist CA
By Bill Olson Chief Marketing Officer at United Benefit Advisors We’ve just released the latest findings from the UBA Health Plan Survey related to how health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) and health savings accounts (HSAs) are being used among employers. (Spoiler alert: California employers lead the way with the most generous account-based plans.) So which is […]
HRAs, HSAs, and Health FSAs – What’s the Difference? | Benefits Specialist California
By Danielle Capilla Chief Compliance Officer at United Benefit Advisors Health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), health savings accounts (HSAs) and health care flexible spending accounts (HFSAs) are generally referred to as account-based plans. That is because each participant has their own account, at least for bookkeeping purposes. Under the tax rules, amounts may be contributed to […]
