Vigilant Blog

The U.S. Department of Labor has released model notices to meet the following notice requirements imposed by recent federal health care reform guidance: ·           Notice of Lifetime Limits: This notice contains information on the removal of any lifetime limits on the dollar value of coverage, and of the right to re-enroll in the plan…

The Department of Health and Human Services has apply now!

More guidance on federal health reform mandates has been issued by the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury. This latest round of   PCEs:  Annual Limits                                   The term “essential health benefits” will be defined in future guidance, but in the meantime, for enforcement purposes, the…

75 Fed Reg 34538, June 17, 2010). Under the grandfathering provision, health plans that were in existence on March 23, 2010 need not comply with many aspects of health care reform. This new guidance clarifies that grandfathered collectively bargained plans must implement the same provisions that non-union grandfathered plans must implement (dependent coverage to age…

Thinking of applying for reimbursements under the new Early Retiree Reinsurance Program? Check out new instructions for the program study by the Employee Benefits Research Institute (EBRI) predicts that the $5 billion appropriation for the program will run out in two years.

Puzzled over health care reform? Join us for a free one-hour webinar in which we’ll highlight the key provisions that will affect employers and the health plans they sponsor. We’ll unravel the complexity, answer your questions and help you plan for health reform compliance in 2010 and beyond. We’ll cover:• Key provisions that will impact employers• Effective…

With the close of May, the opportunity to become eligible for the COBRA premium subsidy has ended for now. The subsidy was available to individuals who experienced a COBRA qualifying event that was the employee’s involuntary termination of employment, occurring up through May 31, 2010 (or a reduction in hours, followed by an involuntary termination…

75 Fed Reg 24450, May 5, 2010). Under the program, created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ( 

Have questions about your obligation to provide health coverage to your employees’ adult children? Good news! Interim final rules clarifying the mandate have been issued by the Departments of the Treasury, Labor and Health and Human Services (  

The IRS has issued its first piece of guidance on health care reform, explaining the tax treatment of adult dependent coverage under the recent federal health care reform legislation. Under the law, by the first day of the first plan year beginning on or after September 23, 2010, plans must offer coverage to the adult…

A new tax credit for small businesses that purchase health insurance for their employees is just one part of the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148). The IRS recently issued

You’ve probably heard that existing benefits plans are “grandfathered” so they don’t have to comply with all the recent health reform changes. But you may be asking yourself, “what does that really mean?” In reality, the grandfathering provision in the new law isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Under the new law, if your…