Kushner & Company Blog

The Kushner & Company blog brings current legal, regulatory, and items of interest to our business executives and HR professionals in all areas of HR and benefit design and administration. The extensive library of blogs is fully searchable and contains many ideas, tips, and updates on all things HR and benefits.

As we explained in 2020, funding for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) was supposed to end with filings and fees for plan years that began before October 1, 2019. In the words of the great philosopher Emily Litella, “Never mind.”

Posted on June 15, 2023 By Kushner & Company
Categories: 
Administration, 
Benefits, 
Blog, 
ERISA-ACA Compliance, 
Excepted Benefit HRA (EBHRA), 
FSA / HSA / HRA, 
Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA)

Working with an employee benefits consultancy ensures that you stay informed, minimize costs, and receive sound advice about the wellbeing of your employees. With the ability to walk you through your decision-making process, consultants can ensure that you’re looking at appropriate plans.

Posted on May 30, 2023 By Kushner & Company
Categories: 
401(k), 
Administration, 
Benefits, 
Blog, 
Nonqualified Plans (Executive Compensation), 
Qualified Small Employer HRA (QSEHRA), 
Team Rewards
Posted on May 17, 2023 By Gary B. Kushner, SPHR, CBP, President
Categories: 
Benefits, 
Blog, 
ERISA-ACA Compliance, 
FSA / HSA / HRA, 
Health and Welfare Team, 
Health Savings Accounts (HSA)

The COVID-19 Outbreak Period has had numerous impacts upon benefit plans, extending timelines with which plans had to perform certain activities.

President Biden declared the end of the National Emergency effective May 11, 2023. Employers must plan now for the end of the Outbreak Period.

Posted on February 1, 2023 By Kushner & Company
Categories: 
Benefits, 
Blog, 
COBRA, 
COVID-19, 
ERISA-ACA Compliance, 
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), 
FSA / HSA / HRA, 
Health and Welfare Team, 
Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA), 
Health Savings Accounts (HSA), 
HR Compliance, 
Total Rewards

Yes Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus(e).

The telehealth exception to the rule that in order to make an HSA contribution, a participant must be enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan requiring non-preventive benefits to meet the plan's deductible is extended.

Posted on December 23, 2022 By Kushner & Company
Categories: 
Administration, 
Benefits, 
Blog, 
COBRA, 
COVID-19, 
ERISA-ACA Compliance, 
Health and Welfare Team

It must be the holiday season. The IRS recently finalized new regulations providing that ALEs must furnish the Forms 1095-C to employees no later than 30 days after January 31st of each year. In the past, forms were due by January 31st unless an employer asked for an extension. It's now automatic.

Posted on December 15, 2022 By Kushner & Company
Categories: 
Administration, 
Benefits, 
Blog, 
COBRA, 
ERISA-ACA Compliance, 
FSA / HSA / HRA, 
Health and Welfare Team, 
Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA), 
HR Compliance, 
Total Rewards

The IRS has now released all of the 2023 benefit limits on October 21, 2022. Earlier this year, they also released the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) and Health Savings Account (HSA) limits.

Posted on October 21, 2022 By Kushner & Company
Categories: 
401(k), 
Administration, 
Benefits, 
Blog, 
Commuter Benefits, 
ERISA-ACA Compliance, 
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), 
FSA / HSA / HRA, 
Health and Welfare Team, 
Health Savings Accounts (HSA), 
Profit Sharing, 
Qualified Small Employer HRA (QSEHRA), 
Retirement Plans, 
Total Rewards

Employers that offer prescription drug benefits are required to provide an annual notice to all Medicare-eligible plan participants and qualified beneficiaries before October 15th of each year, the start of the Medicare open enrollment period. Most send it to all participants.

Posted on July 28, 2022 By Kushner & Company
Categories: 
Benefits, 
Blog, 
ERISA-ACA Compliance, 
HR Compliance

The PCORI annual filing and fees were reinstated through 2029. That means that all employers (or their insurers in fully insured group health plans) must file the annual IRS Form 720 by July 31st of each year, regardless of their plan year.

Posted on May 26, 2022 By Kushner & Company
Categories: 
Administration, 
Benefits, 
Blog, 
ERISA-ACA Compliance, 
FSA / HSA / HRA, 
Health and Welfare Team, 
Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA), 
HR Compliance

Starting in 2007, the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (TRHCA) requires that the IRS release the upcoming year’s new HSA limits prior to June 1st. Thus, we now have the 2023 HSA limits.

Posted on April 30, 2022 By Kushner & Company
Categories: 
Benefits, 
Blog, 
Health and Welfare Team, 
Health Savings Accounts (HSA)

The IRS has now released all of the 2022 benefit limits. Earlier this year, they also released the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) and Health Savings Account (HSA) limits.

Posted on November 10, 2021 By Kushner & Company
Categories: 
401(k), 
Benefits, 
Blog, 
Commuter Benefits, 
ERISA-ACA Compliance, 
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), 
FSA / HSA / HRA, 
Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA), 
Health Savings Accounts (HSA), 
Qualified Small Employer HRA (QSEHRA), 
Total Rewards

The IRS has new requirements for employers that utilize a fully discretionary matching contribution formula in their pre-approved plans.

Posted on October 1, 2021 By Kushner & Company
Categories: 
401(k), 
Blog, 
Defined Contribution Plan, 
ERISA-ACA Compliance, 
HR Compliance, 
Profit Sharing, 
Retirement Plans