The IRS issued Notice 2018-06 on Dec. 22, 2017, which extended by 30 days the 2018 due date for distributing 2017 health coverage information forms 1095-C or 1095-B to employees, regarding the health care coverage offered to them.

The new deadline for supplying these forms to employees is March 2, 2018. This 30-day extension is automatic. Employers and providers don’t have to request it.

The due dates for filing 2017 information returns with the IRS were not extended, however. For 2018, the due dates to file information returns with the IRS remain Feb. 28 for paper filers or April 2 for electronic filers.

Notice 2018-6 also extended good-faith transition relief to 2017 information reporting. This relief applies only to incorrect and incomplete information reported on Form 1095-C or 1095-B, and not to a failure to timely furnish or file the forms.

The Supreme Court released their ruling on King v. Burwell today. The vote was 6-3 in favor of upholding health premium subsidies in all States, including States that have a Health Plan Exchange run by the Federal Government.

Now that the decision is made, we will most likely see action in Congress to clean up parts of the Affordable Care Act.

Here is a link to the Supreme Court’s Opinion: http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/14pdf/14-114_qol1.pdf

The proposed rules on use of financial incentives within workplace wellness programs were published by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on April 16, 2015.   These rules align the wellness provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) with the nondiscrimination rules in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

As employer groups with 51-100 employees renew or purchase health insurance coverage in 2016, they must abide by the rules and regulations governing the small group market, including those related to benefit coverage and essential health benefits; actuarial value, and premium rating restrictions, such as adjusted community rating and no medical underwriting.

The small group rules apply to fully insured plans, including those purchased in the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) marketplace.

In some markets, the state and insurance carriers may give employers the option to keep their plan for a while longer by:

• Changing their plan year to maximize the time the employer can keep their plan in 2016.
• Taking advantage of transitional relief, which allows employers in some states to keep their current plans through Sept. 30, 2017.

Employers that self-insure (self-funded) are not subject to these requirements.

Options and requirements vary by state, issuer and segment. For more information, please contact us for a consultation at 832-482-2494 or via email through the “contact us” page on our website.

Recently, your health insurance company may have requested your Social Security number, as well as the Social Security numbers of your spouse and your qualifying dependents. Due to a new reporting requirement, you will need to report qualifying health coverage (referred to as “minimum essential coverage”) on your yearly income tax return. This new reporting requirement will begin for the 2015 tax year, and your social security number is required by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for Form 1095-B. Here are some common questions you may have regarding this process.