November 6, 2019

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released additional qualified benefit plan contribution limits for 2020, including limits for flexible spending accounts (FSA) and Commuter Benefit accounts.

December 20, 2023

Open enrollment is one of the busiest times of year for employee benefits professionals. It’s a stressful season that typically results in questions and complaints and comes with a high potential for both employer and employee mistakes.

August 24, 2023

More employers than ever are offering their employees a high deductible health plan (HDHP) with an HSA option to help keep costs down. Here are a few things to think about when first getting started.

May 12, 2021

The IRS has issued Notice 2021-26 to answer questions related to Dependent Care Flexible Savings Accounts (DCFSA), specifically the interaction between the temporary extensions and carryovers allowed by the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) and the increased maximum contribution amount allowed by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

May 12, 2021

The IRS has issued Revenue Procedure 2021-25, providing inflation-adjusted Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution amounts for calendar year 2022: 

April 9, 2021

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), enacted on March 11, 2021, allows qualified beneficiaries to receive premium assistance if health coverage was lost because of involuntary termination of employment or a reduction in hours. This assistance is available for the coverage period beginning on April 1, 2021, and ending on September 30, 2021. Premium assistance is initially “advanced” by the plan sponsor or insurer and then recovered or reimbursed through a tax credit.

March 30, 2021

The IRS has issued Notice 2021-21, officially delaying the April 15, 2021 federal income tax filing due date for individuals for the 2020 tax year to May 17, 2021. This delay is a result of the ongoing COVID-19 Emergency Declaration issued in March 2020. The due date is automatically postponed from April 15, 2021 to May 17, 2021; there is no need to file an extension to receive this relief.

March 30, 2021

The IRS has issued Announcement 2021-7, indicating that amounts paid for personal protective equipment (PPE)—such as masks, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes—that are primarily used to prevent the spread of COVID-19, are treated as amounts paid for medical care under Internal Revenue Code Section 213(d). As a result, these items are now eligible to be paid or reimbursed under health flexible spending accounts (health FSAs), health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), and health savings accounts (HSAs).

February 17, 2021

Must an employer maintain health insurance benefits for an injured employee who is out on Workers' Compensation leave? When can the employee be placed on COBRA? The interaction of Workers' Compensation, FMLA, and COBRA all come into play in answering these questions. 

February 17, 2021

Today, savings and spending plan participants can swipe their benefit card and funds are automatically deducted from their benefit account(s) for eligible expenses. The benefit card eliminates most out-of-pocket cash outlays and paperwork, as well as the need for reimbursement checks. Some FSA and HRA debit card transactions, however, may still require substantiation. These substantiation requests can be a real pain point for employers and plan participants, so here are some helpful details to provide clarity.

February 17, 2021

As we get further into 2021, it is unclear when the COVID-19 national emergency ("Outbreak Period") will end. However, the temporary extension of certain benefits time frames can be no more than one year (ending at the latest on February 28, 2021). Health and benefits professionals and their advisors should be aware of the imminent end to the relief and start planning to rollback processes to regular time frames effective March 1, 2021. 

February 17, 2021

The 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) was signed into law on December 27, 2020. Designed to provide economic relief for victims of the COVID-19 pandemic, the relief provided limited provisions that directly affect limited, health, and dependent care flexible spending accounts (FSAs). Employers have the option to take advantage of any of these non-mandatory provisions, as long as their plan is amended to do so. 

February 17, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has economically impacted many families through small business closures and job layoffs. The price of treating COVID-related illness has also negatively affected many Americans. One positive is that those with a health savings account (HSA) or healthcare flexible spending account (FSA) may be able to use these funds to cover COVID-related medical expenses. Here are a few helpful FAQs.

June 11, 2020

Employer Payments Due by July 31, 2020

A less-talked-about piece of the SECURE Act was the extension of PCORI fees to continue through plan years ending before October 2029. On June 8, 2020, the IRS announced an increase to the PCORI fee amount to be paid by plan sponsors with a plan year end date between October 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019.

June 5, 2020

In response to questions we have received related to the benefit plans we administer, Chard Snyder has compiled these helpful resources to provide guidance for our partners. Answers include the most recent information shared by the U.S. government and its agencies regarding the impact of COVID-19 on these services.

May 21, 2020

During the last few months, the Department of Labor (DOL), Treasury Department, and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) have jointly issued multiple pieces of guidance intended to provide relief to those suffering economic hardships from the coronavirus pandemic.

May 21, 2020

The IRS has issued Revenue Procedure 2020-32, providing inflation-adjusted amounts for health savings accounts (HSAs) for calendar year 2021: 

May 13, 2020

Chard Snyder has created FAQs regarding COBRA deadline extensions for participants and health plan sponsors in response to a joint ruling issued by the DOL & IRS on April 28.

May 13, 2020

The Internal Revenue Service has released two notices to allow temporary changes to section 125 cafeteria plans and provide additional flexibility to participants

April 16, 2020

Watch Chard Snyder's webinar featuring Darcy Hitesman, an Employee Benefits Attorney, to learn about "COVID-19 and Its Impact on Health Plans, HSAs, and Cafeteria Plans."
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March 30, 2020

On Friday, March 27, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued further guidance on the FFCRA, including the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act.

March 12, 2020

On Wednesday, March 11, the IRS issued Notice 2020-15 allowing HSA-qualified health plans to cover testing and treatment of the coronavirus.

February 27, 2020

Some interesting developments recently took place in the world of cafeteria plans and ancillary benefits as the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act 2020 (FCAA) was signed into law by the President. This law, including the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, contained comprehensive retirement-related provisions, but also included some implications for health and welfare benefits. 

November 25, 2019

Large employers may have the resources to prepare custom plan documents and Summary Plan Descriptions (SPD) for each employee benefit plan they offer. Most smaller employers, however, lack the time, money and expertise to prepare these documents and keep them up-to-date. One simple and cost-effective solution is the wrap document. 

November 25, 2019

The state of California has enacted Assembly Bill No. 1554 (AB-1554) into law, which becomes effective January 1, 2020. The law imposes new notification requirements for California employers that sponsor a health flexible spending accounts (FSA). California employers must notify FSA plan participants of the “use it or lose it rule," using at least two different forms, before each plan year’s end. 

November 25, 2019

The IRS has issued proposed regulations that provide additional guidance to employers intending to offer an Individual Coverage HRA (ICHRA) for 2020 and beyond. The guidance confirms and clarifies the safe harbor provisions that were initially outlined in IRS Notice 2018-88. The proposed regulations are meant to help employers determine whether their ICHRA is affordable, and clarify the ICHRA nondiscrimination testing requirements.

November 25, 2019

Earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representatives Republican Study Committee (RSC) released a comprehensive proposal to address perceived weaknesses in Americans’ access to quality, affordable healthcare. The proposal includes changes intended to significantly expand the use of health savings accounts (HSAs). 

On October 23, the House Ways and Means Committee passed three bipartisan healthcare bills that expand and improve the usage of health savings accounts (HSA), flexible spending accounts (FSA), and health reimbursement arrangements (HRA). The bills, which reflect employer recommendations for modernizing and enhancing rules, would make several updates to current law. 

November 25, 2019

During the third quarter, Chard Snyder processed a large volume of plan participant appeals regarding timely claim filing. Through investigation of each one of these appeals, a common theme surfaced that the employee was either never made aware or not sufficiently reminded of their filing deadlines and other terms of their benefits. Here are some best practices around claim filing that we feel could enhance your employees’ experience.