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Common Compliance Questions

Nov 02, 2014

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Recruiting & HR

Benefit Express

This webinar focused on Common Compliance questions from the following areas: ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, Cafeteria Plans, HSAs, and Health Care Reform.
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Page 1: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

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Page 2: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

Common Compliance Questions

By

Larry GrudzienAttorney at Law

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Page 3: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

Agenda

• ERISA

• COBRA

• HIPAA

• Cafeteria Plans

• HSAs

• Health Care Reform

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Page 4: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

ERISA

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Page 5: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• Does an employer with under 100 participants in their medical plan need a plan document?

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ERISA

Page 6: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• When is a benefit considered funded for purposes of ERISA?

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ERISA

Page 7: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• When is an employee assistance plan and/or a wellness program subject to ERISA?

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ERISA

Page 8: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• When is a employee paid only benefit subject to ERISA?

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ERISA

Page 9: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• Is there a statute of limitations on unfiled Form 5500s’?

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ERISA

Page 10: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• Is an employer required to cover same sex spouses under its health and welfare plans under ERISA?

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ERISA

Page 11: Common Compliance Questions

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COBRA

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Page 12: Common Compliance Questions

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• Can qualified beneficiaries change and add benefits at open enrollment?

• Do qualified beneficiaries have special enrollment rights?

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COBRA

Page 13: Common Compliance Questions

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• If coverage ends for retirees, does the employer have to give them the right to elect COBRA?

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COBRA

Page 14: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• When does entitlement to Medicare terminate COBRA coverage and when?

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COBRA

Page 15: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• Does an employer have to offer COBRA to participants in employee assistance programs and wellness programs?

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COBRA

Page 16: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• How does health care reform affect COBRA?

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COBRA

Page 17: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

HIPAA

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Page 18: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• What benefits are considered “excepted” and why it is important?

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HIPAA

Page 19: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• If an employer wants to charge a smoker a higher premium, must it meet the requirements for a wellness program under the HIPAA regulations?

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HIPAA

Page 20: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• Can employer deny coverage under a health plan to an employee if he or she does not participate in a employer sponsored wellness program?

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HIPAA

Page 21: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

Cafeteria Plans

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Page 22: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• Can premiums from individual policies be reimbursed pre-tax under a cafeteria plan?

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Cafeteria Plan

Page 23: Common Compliance Questions

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• If an employer switches to a High Deductible Health Plan in the middle of the year, can employees have the right to change their election for coverage under the health FSA?

• Can a change in cost or coverage be a reason to change an election under a health FSA?

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Cafeteria Plan

Page 24: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• Can an employer give an employee the right to change the character of any carryover?

• Will the carryover make an employee ineligible to make a HSA contributions for the next year?

• How does an employer determine the COBRA premium on a carryover?

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Cafeteria Plan

Page 25: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• My employees want to drop our coverage and elect coverage on the exchange. Is that a qualifying event?

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Cafeteria Plan

Page 26: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• Is an employer required to recognize same sex spouses as spouses under its cafeteria plan?

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Cafeteria Plan

Page 27: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

HSAs

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Page 28: Common Compliance Questions

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• An employee is covered by a HDHP. He also covers his spouse. His spouse has other coverage that is not a HDHP. Can he contribute at the family coverage level?

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HSAs

Page 29: Common Compliance Questions

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• An employee covers himself, his wife and their sons age 21, 22 and 24 in a HDHP. He does not claim his sons as tax dependents.

• Are his son’s eligible to contribute to their own HSA. If so, how much?

• Can the employee reimburse his son’s medical expenses from his HSA?

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HSAs

Page 30: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• An employee participates in a HDHP with his wife and children. His wife also participates in a health FSA at work. She can be reimbursed for his medical expenses under the Health FSA, but does not submit any for him for the year.

• Does that affect his eligibility to contribute to an HSA for the year?

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HSAs

Page 31: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• Can a husband and wife have a joint HSA?

• If an individual has single coverage and contributes at the single coverage rate can he or she reimburse expenses for his wife and children?

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HSAs

Page 32: Common Compliance Questions

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Health Care Reform

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Page 33: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• When is the employer mandate effective?

• January 1, 2015 or on the employer’s renewal date?

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Health Care Reform

Page 34: Common Compliance Questions

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• In determining whether an employer is large employer for employer mandate purposes, are seasonal and part-time employees considered in the count?

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Health Care Reform

Page 35: Common Compliance Questions

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• Does the 30 hour requirement for full-time employees apply to small employers?

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Health Care Reform

Page 36: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

• Can employer sponsor a stand alone Health Reimbursement Arrangement in 2014?

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Health Care Reform

Page 37: Common Compliance Questions

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• Do seasonal or variable hour employees have to be offered coverage in 2015?

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Health Care Reform

Page 38: Common Compliance Questions

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• For the subsidies, how are they determined and what happens if your income does up or down during the year?

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Health Care Reform

Page 39: Common Compliance Questions

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• Do you have to be a citizen to be eligible to buy coverage on the exchange and obtain a credit or subsidy?

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Health Care Reform

Page 40: Common Compliance Questions

Copyright 2014- Not to be reproduced without express permission of Benefit Express Services, LLC

Larry Grudzien

Attorney at [email protected]

www.larrygrudzien.com

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