DMEC’s Legislative Updates Blog is Getting Integrated!

This blog is moving to a new home on DMEC’s web site. The move will allow the blog to be more integrated with all of the articles and content that DMEC releases—a single search will return legislative updates, magazine articles, white papers, archived webinars, and more.

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IRS RELEASES DRAFT INSTRUCTIONS FOR REPORTING ON MANDATES

On August 28, 2014, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released draft instructions for the reporting forms that will be used to report on individual and employer mandates.  The draft forms were released on July 24, 2014.  The instructions and forms will be used by applicable large employers, insurers and employers with self-funded plans. 

ADMINISTRATION RELEASES NEW RULES ON CONTRACEPTION COVERAGE

The Internal Revenue Service, the Employee Benefits Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have released a set of interim final regulations and a set of proposed regulations related to coverage for recommended contraceptive services.  Under the Affordable Care Act, these services should be provided at no cost, with certain exceptions related to religious organizations.

EEOC CHALLENGES WELLNESS PROGRAM UNDER ADA

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has charged in a lawsuit that Manitowoc, Wisconsin-based Orion Energy Systems violated federal law by requiring an employee to submit to medical exams and inquiries that were not job-related and consistent with business necessity as part of a wellness program, which was not voluntary, and then by firing the employee when she objected to the program.

CALIFORNIA ALIGNS WAITING PERIODS WITH FEDERAL LAW

California Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law legislation to align the state’s health coverage waiting period requirements with federal law.  Earlier legislation, effective January 1, 2014, limited waiting periods to 60 days.

3RD CIRCUIT SAYS U.S. MAIL MAY NOT BE ADEQUATE FOR FMLA NOTICES

The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has ruled that relying on the post office to deliver a letter may not be adequate.  The 3rd Circuit said that in this age of computerized communications, it is not expecting too much to require businesses that wish to avoid a material dispute about the receipt of a letter to use some form of mailing that includes verifiable receipt when mailing something as important as a legally mandated notice.