[Guidance Overview]

100 Percent COBRA Subsidy Starts April 1

"Plan administrators should identify the individuals who will need to receive a notice about the new subsidy.... Generally, this means anyone who had -- or could have had -- COBRA as far back as November 2019, because their 18 months of coverage would extend through April 2021."  MORE >>

Segal

[Guidance Overview]

ARPA Provides Full COBRA Subsidies to Involuntarily Terminated Employees

"Premiums for COBRA qualified beneficiaries who are eligible for the premium assistance will be paid by the federal government to employers through credits against employers' Medicare taxes. Employers and COBRA plan administrators must quickly prepare for new notifications and administration changes."  MORE >>

Ice Miller LLP

[Guidance Overview]

Significant COBRA Changes Contained in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

"Existing COBRA election notices will need to be updated or supplemented with new language describing the subsidy.... There is also a new special notice that employers must send to any individuals who experienced a COBRA event due to an involuntary termination or reduction in hours and who are still within their 18-month maximum COBRA period."  MORE >>

EPIC

[Guidance Overview]

American Rescue Plan Act Includes Many Health Coverage Provisions

"The credits for paid sick and family leave created by the [FFCRA] are extended to September 30, 2021.... Concerning the paid sick leave portion of the law, the American Rescue Plan resets the two-week leave limit as of March 31, 2021."  MORE >>

OneDigital Health and Benefits

[Guidance Overview]

Quick Decision Required: Increased DCAP Limit for 2021?

"Employers interested in providing this benefit to employees will need to act fast; not only is this benefit only available in 2021, but the benefit will only be useful to employees if employers implement the change early in the year."  MORE >>

Graydon

[Guidance Overview]

Agencies Issue New FAQs on COVID-19 Testing, Vaccines

"[T]he new FAQs Part 44 ... [provide] more information on the coverage requirement for COVID vaccines and opportunities for plans to provide the vaccine as an excepted benefit."  MORE >>

Mercer

[Guidance Overview]

Pennsylvania Employers: Get Ready for Paid Sick Days for Allegheny County Workers

"The Paid Sick Days Act ordinance ... will provide certain employees in Allegheny County up to five sick days each year. The Act will not take effect until 90 days after its accompanying regulations are posted online -- an uncertain date considering the agency that will write them has yet to be named."  MORE >>

Fisher Phillips

[Guidance Overview]

California Broadens Its Mental Health Parity Law

"The revised requirements significantly broaden mandated coverage standards. For example, the law now prohibits insurers from limiting coverage for mental health and substance use disorders to short-term or acute treatment."  MORE >>

Mercer

Court Finds Texas Minimum Wage Law Preempts San Antonio Paid Sick Leave Ordinance

"[T]wo Texas appellate courts have now ruled that municipal ordinances requiring private employers to provide sick and safe leave benefits are unconstitutional ... The Texas Supreme Court refused last year to review the decision ... regarding the Austin ordinance, suggesting that it is unlikely the high court would hear an appeal filed by San Antonio now." [Washington v. Associated Builders & Contractors of South Texas Inc., No. 04-20-00004-CV (Tex. 4th Ct. App. Mar. 10, 2021)]  MORE >>

Littler

District Court Permits Sun Life to Proceed with Fraud Counterclaim in Dispute Over ERISA-Governed Long-Term Disability Benefits

"[The court] explained that McKeown 'owed the Fund a separate and distinct duty under Illinois tort law not to misrepresent that she had access to test results that revealed her psychological impairment.' For this reason, the court concluded that Sun Life's fraud claim is not preempted by ERISA." [McKeown v. Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, No. 16-748 (N.D. Ill. Mar. 10, 2021)]  MORE >>

Roberts Disability Law

[Guidance Overview]

Principal Benefit Plan Provisions in the American Rescue Plan Act

"[1] Dependent care assistance ... [2] 100% COBRA subsidy ... [3] Single employer defined benefit plans ... [4] Multiemployer pension plan reform ... [5] Code Section 162(m)."  MORE >>

The Wagner Law Group

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Effect of CARES Act Amendment on Claims Deadline

"Let's say you have a plan with a Health FSA, that has a rollover provision, but NOT a grace period. It does have a 30 day 'runout' period to submit claims for prior year.

Now assume they executed a CARES amendment, which states, to paraphrase, that the plan's claims procedures and other statutory deadlines are temporarily extended by the 'outbreak period', and the outbreak period extends until 60 days after the end of the National Emergency, etc. -- We, of course, are not past the end of the National Emergency. So would you interpret this as allowing the 30-day 'runout' period to be extended, for submission of 2020 claims?"

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IRI Announces New Board of Directors Officers, Members

Insured Retirement Institute [IRI]

Strategic Benefits Advisors Launches ‘Lightning Benefits Survey' Series for Plan Sponsors

Strategic Benefits Advisors

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COVID-19 Legislative Update: Health, Pension and Tax Provisions in the American Rescue Plan Act

March 16, 2021 WEBCAST

Groom Law Group

Managing Recent and Upcoming Changes to COBRA Administration

March 17, 2021 WEBCAST

Eversheds Sutherland

Taxable Fringe Benefit Essentials for Employers

April 14, 2021 WEBCAST

IRS [Internal Revenue Service]

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Dependent Care FSA Increase and Full COBRA Subsidies Pass Congress

ABD Insurance & Financial Services

100% COBRA Subsidy Passed by Congress

Graydon

COBRA Help, Dependent Care Items in Stimulus Bill

Mercer