On December 23, 2022, U.S. Congress approved the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (CAA 2023). The healthcare provisions in this act extend the temporary telehealth safe harbor for High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP) first-dollar coverage through December 31, 2024. EXTENSION OF THE SAFE HARBOR FOR HDHPS TO COVER TELEHEALTH SERVICES Originally the CARES Act established a [...]
The CARES Act created a temporary safe harbor that allows (but did not require) a HDHP health plan with a health savings account (HSA) to cover telehealth and remote care services prior to the member reaching their plan’s deductible. The CARES Act provision extended the safe harbor for plan years beginning on or before December 31, 2021. Members [...]
On May 12, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) issued two notices, Notice 2020-29 and Notice 2020-33, providing relief and guidance to employers sponsoring Section 125 cafeteria plans, health flexible spending accounts, dependent care assistance programs, and qualified high deductible health plans. Notice 2020-29 provides increased flexibility for cafeteria [...]
The CARES Act, which was signed into law on March 27th, 2020, provides for Small Business Loans called the Paycheck Protection Program. These loans, later supplemented by the Paycheck Protection Program and Healthcare Enhancement Act, provide for up to $10M in forgivable loans to small businesses. Paycheck Protection Loans (PPL): In order to apply for [...]
CARES Act Employee Benefit Impact High Deductible Health Plans payment for tele-health. Effective immediately, the CARES Act creates a temporary safe harbor allowing HDHPs to cover telehealth services and other remote care without cost to plan members before plan members’ deductibles are met. This temporary safe harbor applies to all HDHPs, including those with plan members using [...]
