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HEALTHCARE REFORM: TAX AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS Presented by: Seale Pylate

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Presentation on theme: "HEALTHCARE REFORM: TAX AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS Presented by: Seale Pylate"— Presentation transcript:

1 HEALTHCARE REFORM: TAX AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS Presented by: Seale Pylate pylates@phelps.com

2 EMPLOYER’S ESSSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF REFORM

3 EFFECTIVE TIMEPROVISION Enactment Grandfather plans established 1/1/2010 Small business tax credits available 90 days after enactment Retiree reinsurance program begins 1/1/2011 (calendar year plans) Insurance market reforms begin Limits on FSA reimbursement for medicines and drugs 1/1/2012 (calendar year plans) New plan disclosures required: Uniform summary of coverage Qualify of care report

4 EFFECTIVE TIMEPROVISION 1/1/2012 W-2 reporting – value of health care (for larger employers) After 9/30/2012 $1 tax per participant 1/1/2013 FSA contribution limited ($2,500) New 3.8% surtax on unearned income Additional 0.9% Medicare tax 3/1/2013 Employer’s notice about Exchange

5 EFFECTIVE TIMEPROVISION 1/1/2014 Individual coverage mandate Large employer mandate State-run Exchanges begin Automatic Enrollment 2014-2016 Penalties for non-compliance with individual mandate phased in 1/1/2017 Large employers may participate in Exchange 1/1/2018 Cadillac tax begins

6 All = Grandfathered and New Plans New = New Plans only PLANEFFECTIVEREFORM All1/1/2011No lifetime limits New All 1/1/2011 1/1/2014 No annual limits on essential benefits Same All1/1/2011Cover adult dependents until age 26 (Flex spending account coverage permitted until age 27) All1/1/2011No pre-ex for insureds/participants under age 19

7 All = Grandfathered and New Plans New = New Plans only PLANEFFECTIVEREFORM All1/1/2011No retroactive rescission of coverage, except fraud misrepresentation New1/1/2011No cost sharing for preventive care New1/1/2011New claims appeal process, including level of external review

8 All = Grandfathered and New Plans New = New Plans only PLANEFFECTIVEREFORM New1/1/2011Insured plans subject to anti-discrimination testing under Code Section 105(h) New1/1/2011No prior authorization for emergency room treatment New1/1/2011Greater choice of primary care physician

9 LITIGATION UPDATE Filed by 21 states Primary basis for challenges: –Constitutionality of individual mandate; –Constitutionality of employer mandate; –Medicaid issue

10 LITIGATION UPDATE Supreme Court rejected first appeal –Baldwin v. Sebelius (11/8/10) –Standing issue –Expedited hearing for second appeal denied Four cases decided (Michigan, Virginia, West Virginia, and Florida) –Split decisions –Effects of Florida decision

11 GRANDFATHERING Maintaining grandfathered plan status –Notice requirement –Maintaining records Timing of loss of status –Upon effective date of change –No delay Addressing grandfathering in a merger or acquisition –Is your plan grandfathered? –Is the seller’s plan grandfathered? –How long is too long to continue to maintain the seller’s plan?

12 GRANDFATHERING Bona fide employee reason for change –Issuer exits market –Issuer no longer offers the product to the employer –Coverage becomes impractical due to low participation –Elimination from a multiemployer plan as part of the collective bargaining process –Multiple benefit packages covering many employees are available

13 MANDATED COVERAGE

14 INDIVIDUAL MANDATE Effective Date: January 1, 2014 Individuals maintain minimum essential coverage or pay tax Limited exemptions –Religious –Illegal aliens –Prisoners –Very low-income individuals –Hardship recipients –Small breaks in coverage –Members of Indian tribes

15 Minimum Essential Coverage –Medicare Part A –Medicaid –CHIPs –TRICARE –VA –Employer-sponsored coverage, new or grandfathered –Individual coverage –Exchange INDIVIDUAL MANDATE

16 CONSEQUENCES FOR FAILURE TO MAINTAIN COVERAGE –Greater of $ amount or % of income $95 or 1% of income in 2014 $325 or 2.0% of income in 2015 $695 or 2.5% of income in 2016 After 2015, $ amount indexed for inflation $ amount – assessed for taxpayer, spouse and each dependent not covered (max 3 X’s) In 2014, family of 4 pays greater of 1% of income or $285 Penalty ½ if dependent under age 18 % of income assessed on income over filing threshold –In 2010, threshold $8,375 (individual) –In 2010, $16,750 (married filing jointly) INDIVIDUAL MANDATE

17 EMPLOYER MANDATE Effective: January 1, 2014 LARGE EMPLOYERS must offer minimum essential coverage or be subject to tax Must be offered to full time employees and dependents –Full time = 30 hours Two separate bases for penalties: –Failure to maintain any coverage –Failure to maintain minimum essential coverage that is affordable

18 Large employer: –50 or more full-time employees –30+ hours per week is considered full time –Number of employees includes full-time equivalents for purposes of minimum threshold –Determined on a controlled group basis Minimum essential coverage: –No required benefits –Full time = at least 30 hours –Satisfy by reimbursement of exchange premiums EMPLOYER MANDATE

19 No Coverage Offered: $2,000 X (Full-Time - 30) Tax is based upon number of full-time employees; full-time equivalents are excluded Exclude first 30 full-time employees in calculating the tax Penalty is non-deductible EMPLOYER MANDATE

20 EMPLOYER OFFERS NO COVERAGE: 46 employees working 30 + hours per week 10 employees working 25 hours per week Large employer At least one employee receives a subsidy 16 employees (46-30) X $2,000 = $32,000 $52,000 tax adjusted penalty ($32,000/.61) EMPLOYER MANDATE - EXAMPLE 1

21 Coverage Offered Not Affordable: $2,000 X (Full-Time - 30) $3,000 X Full-Time receiving Federal assistance Lesser of two amounts; Federal assistance provided when premium costs exceed 9.5% of AGI; Penalty is non-deductible EMPLOYER MANDATE

22 EMPLOYER COVERAGE NOT AFFORDABLE: 250 employees 35 employees eligible for Federal subsidy Large employer Penalty (lesser): 220 employees X $2,000 = $440,000 35 employees X $3,000 = $105,000 $172,000 tax adjusted penalty ($105,000/.61) EMPLOYER MANDATE - EXAMPLE 2

23 HEALTHCARE EXCHANGE Effective Date: January 1, 2014 Established by states –Regional or statewide coverage available Small employers and individual coverage –100 or fewer employees Intended to permit consumer comparison of policies Essential benefits –Same as essential benefits under annual and lifetime limits –Required for plans offered under the Exchange

24 Bronze-level coverage (minimum coverage) (60% of actuarial value) Silver-level coverage (70% of actuarial value) Gold-level coverage (80% of actuarial value) Platinum-level coverage (90% of actuarial value) Young-invincibles coverage (limited eligibility) HEALTHCARE EXCHANGE

25 EMPLOYER-SPONSORED COVERAGE W-2 REPORTING Effective Date: Coverage provided after December 31, 2011 New IRS Form W-2 reporting obligation Employer Sponsored Coverage: –Three alternative methods of calculation COBRA premium values Premiums charged for employee’s coverage Modified COBRA premiums –Includes employer and employee contributions –Covers medical, dental, vision –Excludes flex spending contributions, single disease, fixed indemnity coverage, and on-site medical clinics

26 EMPLOYER-SPONSORED COVERAGE W-2 REPORTING Effective Date: Coverage provided after December 31, 2011 New guidance delaying reporting for small employers –Fewer than 250 W-2s per year (this is the electronic reporting threshold) –No reporting obligation until further notice Terminated employees who request the Form W-2 early Calculate the cost on a calendar year basis without regard to whether employer uses a fiscal year

27 EMPLOYER-SPONSORED COVERAGE WELLNESS PROGRAMS Effective Date: Currently set for 2014 Two types of wellness programs –Programs that do not require an individual to meet a standard (for example, require meeting attendance) –Programs that do require a standard (for example, meeting blood pressure or cholesterol goals) Limited to 20% premium reductions Reasonably designed to promote health (not a subterfuge) Annual qualification Reasonable alternative standards for those who cannot meet the standard Notice of the reasonable alternative

28 EMPLOYER-SPONSORED COVERAGE WELLNESS PROGRAMS Effective Date: Currently set for 2014 DOL has indicated that it will increase the limit from 20% to 30% before 2014 The total amount may be more than the limit if the additional reduction is due to a program that doesn’t require a participant to meet a “standard”

29 EMPLOYER-SPONSORED COVERAGE CODE SECTION 105(h) Effective Date: Delayed until further notice for fully-insured plans; now for self-insured plans What is Code Section 105(h)? –Tax section of the Internal Revenue Code –Applies a tax on discriminatory benefits –Prohibits discrimination on the basis of eligibility and benefits –Numerical testing as well as a benefit classification To which plans does Code Section 105(h) apply? –Historically only applied to self-insured plans –Fully-insured plans subject to 105(h) after healthcare reform

30 EMPLOYER-SPONSORED COVERAGE CODE SECTION 105(h) Effective Date: Delayed until further notice for fully-insured plans; now for self-insured plans What are the differences in the application to self-insured and fully- insured? –Penalties –Types of plans covered (dental, vision, accident & disability, long- term care, specific disease or illness, and hospital fixed indemnity) What is the test? –Benefits 70% (with exclusions) –Benefits 80% or more of those who are eligible if 70% are eligible –Reasonable classification

31 EMPLOYER-SPONSORED COVERAGE CODE SECTION 105(h) Effective Date: Delayed until further notice for fully-insured plans; now for self-insured plans What are the penalties for failure to comply? –For self-insured plans, including the benefit in income –For fully-insured plans, a $100 per day per affected participant excise tax –Potential liability for a claim for benefits under ERISA –Subject to self-reporting How do self-insured plans address 105(h) issues? –Comply with the test –Treat premiums as after-tax contributions

32 PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS Amended Plan Documents and Service Agreements –Review your new plan document Was it properly amended? Carefully review definitions –Review your service agreement Does it require your service provider to comply with the PPACA in general? Does it set forth any new duties that you expect your service provider to perform? Look at limitations on liability and indemnity

33 PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS Employee Notices –Review your notices to ensure that they conform to your document –Review employee handbooks and all other employee communications Review your authorization documents

34 QUESTIONS –Questions?

35 REPORTING, TAXES AND REVENUE RAISERS AFFECTING EMPLOYERS

36 HIGH COST EMPLOYER COVERAGE (CADILLAC PLANS) Effective for tax years beginning after 2017 Excise Tax: 40% of “excess benefits” –Calculated as the value of employer-sponsored coverage over dollar limit Imposed on health care providers –Insurer (fully-insured plan); –Employer/administrator (self-insured plan); –Employer (HSA or MSA contributions )

37 DETERMINING APPLICABLE DOLLAR LIMIT: –Beginning thresholds (in 2010): $27,500 other than self-only $10,200 self-only; –Single formula adjustment for period between 2010 and 2018 to reflect medical inflation EXAMPLE: –Cost of self-only coverage increases by 80% between 2010 and 2018 –Adjustment percentage under formula is 135% (100 + (80-55)) –In 2018, threshold is $13,770 for self-only ($10,200 X 135%) HIGH COST EMPLOYER COVERAGE (CADILLAC PLANS)

38 Determining Value of of Employer-Sponsored Coverage : –COBRA premium valuation –Aggregate the value of employer-sponsored coverage, including medical, drugs, FSA and HSA, on site clinics, EAPs Premiums included whether paid by employer or employee (whether paid before or after tax) –Separate dental/vision benefits, disability, long-term care, secondary benefits and fixed indemnity coverage may be excluded HIGH COST EMPLOYER COVERAGE (CADILLAC PLANS)

39 Coverage in 2018 $13,770 threshold for self-only ($1,148 per month) $14,500 value of employer-sponsored coverage ($1,208 per month) $60 excess coverage ($1,208 – $1,148 = $60) 9 months of coverage during 2018 $60 monthly excess X 9 months X 40% = $216 excise tax HIGH COST EMPLOYER COVERAGE (CADILLAC PLANS) - EXAMPLE


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