2020 Health Plan Compliance Deadlines

Employers must comply with numerous reporting and disclosure requirements throughout the year in connection with their group health plans. This Health Plan Compliance Deadlines article explains key 2020 compliance deadlines for employer-sponsored group health plans. It also outlines group health plan notices that employers must provide annually. It has been updated for the extended due date for furnishing forms to individuals under Sections 6055 and 6056.

© 2019 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

Federal Court Strikes Down Association Health Plan Rules

On March 28, 2019, a federal judge ruled that certain parts of the Trump administration’s 2018 final rule on association health plans (AHPs) are invalid. The court directed the DOL to reconsider how the remaining provisions of the final rule are affected. This Compliance Bulletin provides an overview of the court’s ruling and its impact.

© 2019 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

2018 Was a Record Year for HIPAA Enforcement Actions

In 2018, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) collected $28.7 million in HIPAA enforcement penalties, surpassing the previous record year by 22 percent. Ardent Solutions can help clients avoid a HIPAA breach—and a costly penalty—by complying with all HIPAA requirements, which are briefly outlined in this news brief. 

We are here to help. Contact Ardent Solutions today for more information about HIPAA compliance.

© 2019 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

The U.S. May Spend Over $500B in 2019 on This One Thing

Curious what that one thing is? It’s prescription drug costs.

Prescription Drug Trends
As prescription drug costs continue to increase, it is important for employers to understand the trends behind prescription drug costs and what they can do to better manage their health care expenses. This article examines prescription drug trends and what employers can do to help reduce their health care expenditures.

© 2019 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.

A Record $304 Million in Back Wages Recovered by DOL

On Oct. 9, 2018, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced that its Wage and Hour Division (WHD) recovered a record $304 million in wages owed to workers in fiscal year (FY) 2018. In comparison, the WHD recovered $270 million in back wages in FY 2017.

Compliance Assistance
The DOL’s secretary, Alex Acosta, states that the recovered wages are a demonstration that the DOL and WHD are committed to ensuring workers receive the wages they deserve. Moreover, the WHD’s compliance assistance efforts demonstrate its commitment to helping employers meet compliance requirements. Specifically, in FY 2018, the WHD held 3,643 educational outreach events to help job creators understand their responsibilities under the law.

PAID Program Extension
On the same day, the WHD also announced a six-month extension of the voluntary Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program. This program is an initiative designed to help expedite back wage payments to workers. Without this program, workers may have to wait for investigations and court cases to be resolved or concluded.

What does this mean for my organization?
Complying with wage and hour regulations should be a priority for your organization. This is especially important as the DOL has demonstrated that it will focus on ensuring compliance, as seen by the record numbers it has collected recently.

With more employees working remotely, using their smartphones to access email or work at home, and looming overtime rule changes in 2019, now is the time to ensure your organization’s compliance.

Contact Ardent Solutions today for help complying with wage and hour regulations, or for additional resources.

© 2018 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

Determining Whether Prescription Drug Coverage Is Creditable

Employers that provide prescription drug coverage to individuals eligible for Medicare Part D must inform both the individuals and CMS whether that coverage is “creditable.” This Compliance Bulletin summarizes the different methods employers can use in determining whether their prescription drug coverage is creditable.

Did You Know? Exchange Model Notice Expiration Date Extended

The DOL recently extended the expiration date on its model Exchange notices under the ACA through May 31, 2020. Despite the updated expiration date, the content of the model notices has not substantively changed. The expiration date is included largely as an administrative function for the DOL and does not impact the notices’ applicability or an employer’s ability to use them. The ACA requires employers to provide the exchange notice to all new hires at the time of hiring. There is no annual requirement to provide the notice to existing employees nor is there a fine or penalty for failing to provide the notice. This ACA Compliance Bulletin provides more information on this development.

© 2018 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

2019 Open Enrollment Checklist

To prepare for open enrollment, health plan sponsors should be aware of the legal changes affecting the design and administration of their plans for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2019. In addition, health plan sponsors should make sure that open enrollment packages include certain participant notices. This Compliance Overview includes an open enrollment checklist for the 2019 plan year.

© 2018 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

DRAFT FORMS FOR 2018 ACA REPORTING RELEASED

The IRS released most draft 2018 forms for ACA reporting under Code Sections 6055 and 6056. A 2018 draft version of Form 1095-B and draft instructions for these forms have not yet been released. The draft 2018 forms are substantially similar to the final 2017 versions. This ACA Compliance Bulletin provides an overview of the draft forms.

© 2018 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

Which Federal Employment Laws Apply to My Company?

Employers should be aware of the different federal employment laws that may apply to their company, such as the FMLA, the Equal Pay Act and COBRA. This Compliance Overview Which Federal Employment Laws Apply To My Company provides a high-level overview of key federal employment laws and explains which employers they apply to.

© 2018 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.