"[Rev. Proc. 2023-29] lowers the affordability threshold from 9.12% in 2023 to 8.39% in 2024.... [E]mployers that rely on the federal poverty line affordability safe harbor may charge an employee premium up to $101.94 in 2024, which represents a decrease from $103.28 in 2023. Although the dollar amount may appear small, penalties for noncompliance can be significant."  MORE >>

"With the October 15 start of the Medicare Part D annual election period looming comes the reminder that the Part D Notice of Creditable Coverage and/or Non-Creditable Coverage is due to employees prior to that October 15 start date. The purpose of the Notice is to inform employees whether their employer-sponsored group health plan's prescription drug coverage is at least as rich as a Medicare Part D plan."  MORE >>

"SDI provides short-term disability and paid family leave wage replacement and is funded through a 0.9% tax withholding on employee wages in CA. Today, wages are taxed up to a maximum of $153,164 which equates to a maximum withholding of $1,378.48 per year ... [S]tarting in 2024, the wage ceiling will be eliminated and all California wages will be subject to the 0.9% tax."  MORE >>

"The Fourth Circuit agreed with the district court that Rose's ERISA Section 502(a)(1)(B) fails because this provision provides a plaintiff with either reimbursement of plan benefits that they paid out-of-pocket or an injunction to force the plan provider to give the treatment. This provision does not authorize a plaintiff to seek the monetary cost of a benefit that was never provided. This is because the statutory language speaks only of enforcing the terms of the plan, not changing them." [Rose v. PSA Airlines, Inc., No. 21-2207 (4th Cir. Sep. 11, 2023)]  MORE >>

"Should plaintiffs always recover attorney fees when the ultimate decision to deny benefits 'was a close call' …and both sides' positions had merit? No. And this new case explains the point." [Messing v. Provident Life and Accident Ins. Co., No. 20-0351 (W.D. MI Aug. 25, 2023)]  MORE >>

"EmployersRx, a coalition of the nation's largest employers ... calls on ... all Senators to support private market insurance by enacting the PBM Reform Act (S 1339), which contains commonsense reforms to ensure PBMs are held accountable to fair market practices as business partners to employers and 178 million American workers and their families, public purchasers and, ultimately, taxpayers."  MORE >>

"The extended compliance date for obtaining Login.gov credentials is welcome relief to affected plan sponsors that could not meet, or did not know about, the September 1, 2023, deadline. Note that filers that transmit their filings using third-party software approved by the DOL for use under EFAST2 generally do not need to log into the EFAST2 website"  MORE >>