Earlier this month the Supreme Court issued its decision to uphold the ACA, dismissing the challengers who asserted it was unconstitutional. So, what happens next? Now that the healthcare law …
COVID-19
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Affordable Care Act
Recapping on Biden’s ACA Reforms, What Employers Need to Know
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen3 minute read: Since Biden took office on January 20, 2021, several advancements to the Affordable Care Act followed, so we thought it best to recap on the ACA reforms …
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Affordable Care Act
Employers May Face Additional Challenges with 2020 ACA Reporting
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen3 minute read: With the 2020 ACA filing deadlines fast approaching, employers will be met with additional reporting challenges due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic. From determining full-time …
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Affordable Care Act
Taxpayers (Including Employers) Have the Right to Challenge the IRS
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS has a Taxpayer Bill of Rights, which includes a section stating every taxpayer’s “right to challenge the IRS’s position and be heard.” These fundamental rights apply to all …
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Affordable Care Act
Wage Fixing Indictment Has Implications for Employers
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen3 minute read: A recent federal wage-fixing indictment against the former owner of a health care staffing company indicates that the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division is taking a closer …
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Affordable Care Act
ACA Improvements to Expect from the Biden Administration
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen3 minute read: The inauguration welcoming president-elect Joe Biden to the White House is imminent and with the recent shift in majority control of the Senate, we can expect a …
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3 minute read: On December 1, 2020, the IRS announced updates to the services it will be processing as a part of its mission-critical functions. Among the processes are ACA …
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Affordable Care Act
IRS Announces COVID-19 Tax Relief Initiative to Help Taxpayers
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: On November 2, 2020, the IRS announced several changes to its collection procedures to assist struggling taxpayers impacted by COVID-19. These changes include: Taxpayers who qualify for …
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3 minute read: Heading into Election Day, a record-breaking one million Americans cast their ballots early, creating a myriad of potential challenges for determining a clear victor in the 2020 …
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Affordable Care Act
Lower ACA Premiums Heading into Open Enrollment for 2021
by Chris Areyby Chris Arey3 minute read: The Healthcare.gov open enrollment period for the 2021 tax year will begin on November 1, 2020, and will run through December 15. Surprisingly, premiums are down and …
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Affordable Care Act
D.C. Upholds Health Carrier Tax, Supporting ACA Health Exchanges
by Chris Areyby Chris Arey3 minute read: An argument regarding the District of Columbia’s ACA health exchange tax was decided late last month. The decision rules in favor of the tax, supporting state-run health …
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Affordable Care Act
Possible ACA Outcomes If Joe Biden Is Elected in November
by Chris Areyby Chris Arey2 minute read: With the 2020 presidential election a few short weeks out, it’s incredibly important that voters understand what Joe Biden versus Donald Trump will do to the ACA …
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2 minute read: “What exactly is Form 1095-C?” It’s a question that employers often ask when they’re first introduced to the responsibilities of the ACA’s Employer Mandate. In this post, …
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3 minute read: As the fourth quarter of 2020 draws near, so does the presidential election. A popular topic of debate to be addressed in the coming election is healthcare, …
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Affordable Care Act
IRS Releases New ACA Filing Information for the 2020 Tax Year
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: The IRS has published various Affordable Care Act Information Returns (AIRs) documents for the 2020 tax year with which employers will need to familiarize themselves before electronically …
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2 minute read: New IRS guidance addresses the intersection of COVID-19, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In a bid to increase COVID-19 testing in the U.S., one facet …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
ACA to Aid Millions in Obtaining Healthcare, KFF Report Finds
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: The data is in: at least 27 million Americans have lost employer-sponsored health coverage as a result of COVID-19. The Kaiser Family Foundation issued a report in …
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Affordable Care Act
SBA Posts New Interim Rule on SBA Loan Review Decisions Under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: On August 12, 2020, the Small Business Association (SBA) issued a new interim final rule that provides guidance for borrowers and lenders on the appeal procedure for …
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ACA ComplianceAffordable Care Act
New Jersey Adopts ACA Provision to Lower Healthcare Costs
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen3 minute read: Earlier this month, New Jersey signed into law a state version of an Affordable Care Act provision, the Health Insurance Assessment (HIA) program. New Jersey is the …
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2 minute read: In another court victory for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a federal appellate court ruled in Texas v. Rettig that a provision of the ACA that imposes …
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Affordable Care Act
ACA Compliance Responsibilities Could Increase if the Federal Government Adopts the ABC Test for Employee Misclassification
3 minute read: A tsunami for the gig economy may be coming on the horizon. We have written recently about the ongoing issues that gig economy employers, such as Uber …
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3 minute read: In yet another triumphant win for the Affordable Care Act, the state of Missouri approved and passed the expansion of Medicaid. The expansion comes after nearly 53% …
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Affordable Care Act
SBA Releases FAQs on Loan Forgiveness Under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen1 minute read: On August 4, 2020, the Small Business Association (SBA) released 10 pages of FAQs pertaining to loan forgiveness under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP is …
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Affordable Care Act
New Senate Bill Seeks to Enhance the Employee Retention Credit Under the CARES Act
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: The Senate recently introduced new legislation to further assist in the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, including the American Workers, Families and Employer Assistance Act. Under this Senate Bill, …
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Affordable Care Act
Gig-Economy Worker Benefits Will Affect ACA Compliance
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen3 minute read: It’s no mystery that both companies and consumers benefit from the gig-economy, but what about the workers? Sure, it provides a means to an end, but workers …
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2 minute read: House of Representative Democrats have unveiled a bill that would enhance many of the ACA’s components while reversing much of the Trump administration’s onslaught to the healthcare …
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Affordable Care Act
ACA’s Expansion of Medicaid Takes Hold in Oklahoma
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen3 minute read: In late June, Oklahoma joined 37 other states and the District of Columbia in expanding Medicaid under the ACA. Better late than never and in good timing …
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Affordable Care Act
Californians Beware, The Individual ACA Penalty Has Increased
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: California residents that fail to obtain qualified health coverage this year will receive a penalty from the state for an amount larger than first projected. Per California’s …
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2 minute read: Employers should start gearing up for IRS penalty letters issued under the Affordable Care Act. According to an announcement posted on the IRS website, the IRS has …
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Affordable Care Act
Window to get Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan gets Extended
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen1 minute read: President signed legislation (S.4116) on the Fourth of July extending the deadline to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Now, small employers now have until August …
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Affordable Care Act
As Businesses Reopen during the Pandemic, They Need to Think About How to Bring Their Workers Back Safely
3 minute read: We already discussed that as states go through their re-opening processes in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic bring their employees back to work, in addition to …
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Affordable Care Act
As Employers Bring Workers back during the Pandemic, They Need to Think about their Potential Liability Exposure
2 minute read: As states go through their re-opening processes in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employers have begun opening their offices and bringing their employees back to …
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Affordable Care Act
Federal Reserve Expands Main Street Loan Program
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen1 minute read: On June 8, 2020, the Federal Reserve Board expanded its Main Street Lending Program to include more small and medium sized businesses. See here. Changes to the …
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Affordable Care Act
Proposed IRS Regs Will Not Affect How Individuals Receive PTCs
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: The IRS recently issued proposed regulations on how the personal tax exemption reduction to “0” will affect qualifications for recipients of Premium Tax Credits (PTCs). Regulation 124810-19, …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
ACA’s Expansion of Medicaid Key Player for Providing Health Coverage Amid COVID-19
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: By now it’s become abundantly clear how important it is for individuals to have health coverage. COVID-19 or not, healthcare is saving lives and the ACA has …
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3 minute read: If you are a U.S. business, there is a good chance that one or more of your employees have taken emergency paid sick leave. Such leaves may …
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Affordable Care Act
Why CMS’s 2021 Payment Notice May Lead to More PTC Allocations
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: Back in March, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2021 (2021 Payment Notice). The rule includes …
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2 minute read: In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has instituted a number of important adjustments to employee benefits plan compliance rules. Recently, the …
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Affordable Care Act
Employers May See More ACA Penalties As a Result of COVID-19
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: A new data analysis report from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) finds the vast majority of Americans who lost their job amid COVID-19will be eligible for government …
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Affordable Care Act
Know your Tax Relief and ACA Compliance Obligations during the Pandemic: California Governor’s Executive Order brings Property Tax penalty Relief
2 minute read: On May 6, 2020 California Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-61-20 providing some property tax penalty relief to individual and small business taxpayer’s who have been …
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ACA ComplianceACA ReportingAffordable Care Act
ACA Penalties to Continue with the IRS Returning to Work
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: As states begin to lift their shelter-in-place orders and begin plans to re-open, employers should take note of recent IRSactivity, as the agency is expediting its efforts …
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ACA ComplianceACA ReportingAffordable Care Act
Workforce Changes Now Will Affect ACA Reporting Later
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen3 minute read: Several weeks into quarantine and social distancing, many are wondering when the country will reopen. As of April 20, 42 states had placed shelter in place orders. …
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Affordable Care Act
Returning to Work: Rehiring Employees After COVID-19 and the Impact on ACA Compliance
4 minute read: As states begin to relax their stay at home orders and businesses look to reopen post COVID-19 Pandemic, Employers should start thinking about how bringing back furloughed …
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ACA ComplianceAffordable Care Act
Supreme Court Rules in Favor of ACA Risk Corridors
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: The Affordable Care Act chalked up a win in late April when the Supreme Court ordered the federal government to pay insurance companies funding it’s been entitled …
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1 minute read: On April 9, 2020, the IRS issued Notice 2020-23 to provide relief relating to certain deadlines for taxpayers in response to the March 13, 2020 emergency declaration …
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Affordable Care Act
Paycheck Protection Program Gets a $310 Billion Infusion to Help Small Businesses Through Coronavirus Pandemic
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: On April 24, 2020, the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act was signed into law (the “Act”). Among its key provisions is the infusion of …
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Affordable Care Act
Potential ACA Relief for Employers Facing COVID-19 Hardship
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: As the COVID-19 global health pandemic continues to affect businesses large and small, employers must still comply with the requirements of the ACA’s Employer Mandate. As a …
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2 minute read: While Trump Administration shot down the idea of a special ACA enrollment period to help individuals who have lost their coverage due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, states …
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4 minute read: Many employers and individuals are understandably concerned about how to navigate the difficult business environment created by the COVID-19 Pandemic and resulting state and federal mitigation measures. …
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2 minute read: Many employers are understandably concerned about how to navigate the difficult business environment created by the COVID-19 Pandemic and resulting state and federal mitigation measures. Below is …