RULES ON CONTRACEPTION COVERAGE AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS

The Obama administration has issued final rules that attempt to balance the goal of providing women with coverage for recommended preventive care – including contraceptive services prescribed by a health care provider – with no cost-sharing, with the goal of respecting the concerns of non-profit religious organizations that object to contraceptive coverage.  The final rules reflect public feedback received in response to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued in February 2013. 

WHAT DO THE RULINGS ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE MEAN FOR BENEFITS?

The United States Supreme Court has ruled on two same-sex marriage cases.  What do those rulings mean for employee benefits?

HHS LAUNCHES HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACE EDUCATIONAL TOOLS

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has kicked off a Health Insurance Marketplace education effort with a new, consumer-focused HealthCare.gov website and a 24-hours-a-day consumer call center to help Americans prepare for open enrollment and ultimately sign up for private health insurance.  The new tools are intended to help people understand their choices and select the coverage that best suits their needs when open enrollment in the new Health Insurance Marketplace begins October 1.

COLORADO FAMILY CARE ACT EXTENDS FMLA TO DOMESTIC PARTNERS

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper has signed the Family Care Act (FCA) into law.  This law extends Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) protections to partners in a civil union and domestic partners.

IRS RELEASES MEMO AND FAQs ABOUT PCORI FEES

The Internal Revenue Service has published a memo that says fees paid by plan sponsors of certain self-funded health plans to fund the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund (PCOR) are ordinary and necessary business expenses, and, thus, deductible business expenses.  The IRS has also published new Frequently Asked Questions about the fee. 

REGULATIONS ISSUED FOR WELLNESS PROGRAMS WITH INCENTIVES

The Internal Revenue Service, Employee Benefits Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have released final regulations regarding incentives for nondiscriminatory wellness programs in group health plans.  These final regulations increase the maximum permissible reward under a health-contingent wellness program offered in connection with a group health plan (and any related health insurance coverage) from 20% to 30% of the cost of coverage.