Administration

On October 2, 2020, citing employers’ and insurers’ need for additional time to provide individuals with the Form 1095-Bs and 1095-Cs, the IRS issued Notice 2020-76 extending the deadline from January 31, 2021 to March 2, 2021 to provide those forms.

Like a horror movie scene, just when you thought that the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) was finally funded from the plan years that began before October 1, 2018, it's baaaaaaacccckkkkk. And that means employers have new filings to make and fees to pay.

In two new IRS Notices (2020-29 and 2020-33), there are temporary changes to the rules governing Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) through 2020 due to COVID-19, and permanent changes to both FSAs and certain Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) that will begin this year. 

The DOL and IRS issued a Notice that announced a "pause" in the timelines that affect many COBRA and HIPAA Special Enrollment Period timelines during the COVID-19 National Emergency pandemic. It also provides for additional timelines relating to all health and welfare plan claim filings and appeals.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) was signed into law on March 27, 2020. It's a mammoth bill of over 880 pages, and contains many employee benefit-related items. This post, the second in the CARES Act series deals with the qualified retirement plan provisions in the Act.