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Client Alert: IRS Releases Early Drafts of ACA Employer Reporting Forms & Instructions

IRS Releases Early Drafts of ACA Employer Reporting Forms & Instructions (1094-B, 1094-C, 1095-B, and 1095-C)

The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) has released early drafts of the instructions and health insurance coverage reporting forms required to be filed under the Affordable Care Act.

As provided in previous Client Alerts, information reporting requirements are applicable under two Internal Revenue Code (“Code”) sections as follows:

Section 6055 for insurers, self-insuring employers, and certain other providers of minimum essential coverage; and
Section 6056 for applicable large employers.

By way of background, the IRS requires applicable large employers and sponsors of self-insured health plans to report on the health coverage offered and/or provided to individuals beginning calendar year 2015. Although the reporting requirements extend to other entities that provide “minimum essential coverage” (such as health insurance issuers), this Client Alert focuses on the requirements imposed on employers.

Employers who are deemed applicable large employers, as well as employers of any size who offer self-funded health coverage, must carefully review and study these instructions, which set forth numerous details, definitions and indicator codes that must be used to complete the requisite forms. The instructions address the “when, where and how” to file, extensions and waivers that may be available, how to file corrected returns, and potential relief from penalties imposed for incorrect or incomplete filing.

The IRS utilizes information from these returns to determine which individuals were offered minimum essential coverage, whether individuals were eligible for premium tax credits in the Marketplace, as well as to determine any penalties to be imposed on employers under Pay or Play (Code section 4890H; Shared Responsibility for Employers Regarding Health Coverage, 26 CFR Parts 1, 54, and 301, 79 Fed. Reg. 8543 (Feb. 12, 2014)). Due to the impact of proper reporting, a clear understanding of these forms and instructions are essential.

Code section 6056 applies to applicable large employers (generally employers with at least 50 full-time employees, including full-time equivalent employees). Information with respect to each full-time employee (whether or not offered coverage) must be reported on Form 1095-C. Transmittal Form 1094-C must accompany the Forms 1095-C; all the Forms 1095-C together with the Transmittal Form 1094-C constitute the Code section 6056 information return that is required to be filed with the IRS. For applicable large employers who self-insure, there is a separate box to complete which incorporates the information required under Code section 6055.

Code section 6055 applies to employers of any size who self-insure. Non-applicable large employers with self-funded plans must report their information on Form 1095-B, as well as on Transmittal Form 1094-B. All of the Forms 1095-B together with the Transmittal Form 1094-B constitute the Code section 6055 information return that is required to be filed with the IRS. Again, if the employer who self-insures is also an applicable large employer, the employer will instead use Forms 1095-C and 1094-C, which include a section for self-insured plans.

Employers subject to these requirements must report in early 2019 for the entire 2018 calendar year.

Additionally, employers must provide informational statements to the individuals for whom they are reporting. Form 1095-C or Form 1095-B (as applicable) may be used as this informational statement.

The links to the Draft Instructions are below:

2018 Drafts for Applicable Large Employers (Code Section 6056):

2018 Draft Instructions for Forms 1094-C and 1095-C: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-dft/i109495c–dft.pdf
2018 Draft Form 1094-C: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-dft/f1094c–dft.pdf
2018 Draft Form 1095-C: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-dft/f1095c–dft.pdf

2018 Drafts for Employers who Self-Fund (Code Section 6055):

2018 Draft Instructions for 1094-B and 1095-B: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-dft/i109495b–dft.pdf
2018 Draft Form 1094-B: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-dft/f1094b–dft.pdf
2018 Draft Form 1095-B: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-dft/f1095b–dft.pdf

These draft instructions and forms reflect only minor changes, such as a few formatting modifications and the reflection of indexed penalty amounts for reporting failures. Additionally, the draft instructions for Forms 1094-B and 1095-B also now state that health insurance issuers and carriers are encouraged (but not required) to report coverage in catastrophic health plans enrolled in through the Marketplace for months in 2018.

The remainder of the provisions remain intact.

There is no current indication of filing deadline relief, so it is essential to ensure your reporting and collection of data procedures are intact.

If you should have questions regarding employer reporting requirements or other ACA mandates, the Employee Benefits team at Fraser Trebilcock can assist.

Elizabeth H. Latchana specializes in employee health and welfare benefits. Recognized for her outstanding legal work, in both 2018 and 2015, Beth was selected as “Lawyer of the Year” in Lansing for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law by Best Lawyers, and in 2017 as one of the Top 30 “Women in the Law” by Michigan Lawyers Weekly. Contact her for more information on this reminder or other matters at 517.377.0826 or elatchana@fraserlawfirm.com.

Client Alert: Small Employers Have New Option for Benefit Offerings: Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangements

Small Employers Have New Option for Benefit Offerings: Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangements

In today’s market, small employers have increasingly difficultly offering competitive benefit structures given the elevated financial and administrative cost associated with maintaining comprehensive employer-sponsored group health plan coverage. And, pursuant to guidance issued under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”), employers have been generally unable to pay for the cost of an employee’s health insurance on the individual market without incurring substantial compliance burdens and/or penalties. Certain small employers now have a welcomed new option available to help their employees pay for the cost of health insurance and other medical expenses: a qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangement (“QSEHRA”).

The 21st Century Cures Act amended section 9831 of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”) and provides that certain eligible small employers can establish a QSEHRA under which individual health insurance premiums and other Code section 213(d) qualified expenses can be reimbursed from. Unlike other forms of health reimbursement arrangements, a QSEHRA is not considered a “group health plan” for most purposes under the Code, ERISA, and the Public Health Service Act (“PHSA”). As such, a QSEHRA is exempt from numerous cumbersome legal requirements (including the PPACA’s PHSA mandates and COBRA). Thus, small employers that meet the requirements set forth in amended Code section 9831 and IRS guidance (Notice 2017-67) have a new opportunity to make their benefit offerings competitive.

IRS Notice 2017-67 (the “Notice”) provides comprehensive guidance related to compliance and administrative issues associated with QSEHRAs. The Notice is lengthy and comprehensive, and thus requires detailed review by any employer contemplating establishing a QSEHRA. However, a snapshot of highlights from the Notice for employers to keep in mind include:

What Employers Can Sponsor a QSEHRA? In order to adopt a QSEHRA, the employer cannot (1) be deemed an applicable large employer (i.e., generally an employer with 50 or more full-time employees (including full-time equivalents) in the preceding calendar year) under the employer shared responsibility mandate; and (2) offer a group health plan as defined in Code section 5000(b) (e.g., medical, dental, vision, health FSA, etc.) to its employees.
What Employees Must Be Provided Coverage? The QSEHRA must be provided on the same terms to all eligible employees. Uniformity is determined on the basis of the amount made available for reimbursement and not the amount actually reimbursed. The term “eligible employee” generally means any employee of the employer. However, the QSEHRA may be designed to exclude certain classes of employees including (1) employees who have not completed 90 days of service with the employers; (2) employees who have not attained age 25 before the beginning of the plan year; (3) certain part-time and seasonal employees; (4) certain non-participating employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement; and (5) nonresident aliens who do not receive earned income from the employer from sources within the United States. Employees cannot waive participation in the QSEHRA.
What Expenses Can Be Reimbursed? Guidance indicates that a QSEHRA can reimburse employees for Code section 213(d) medical care expenses (including major medical insurance premiums) incurred by the employee or an eligible family member. However, prior to providing reimbursement, the employee must substantiate the incurred expense (using a methodology similar to that used to substantiate health FSA expenses). Expenses reimbursed elsewhere do not qualify for reimbursement. Additionally, the QSEHRA may only reimburse expenses after the employee provides periodic proof that he or she maintains minimum essential coverage.
What is the Maximum Benefit That Can Be Provided? The maximum amount available to an employee under a QSEHRA is subject to an annual statutory dollar limit (adjusted annually for inflation). The limit for self-only coverage in 2018 is $5,050. The limit for family coverage is $10,250 for 2018.
How Does the QSEHRA Need to be Funded? The QSEHRA must be funded solely by an eligible employer (no salary reduction contributions are permitted).
What Notice and Reporting Obligations Are Associated with a QSEHRA? Written notice, which includes certain statutory language, to each eligible employee must be furnished by the employer at least 90 days before the beginning of each plan year (and on or prior to the first day the employee becomes eligible for an employee who is not eligible to participate at the beginning of the plan year). Additionally, the total amount of the employee’s permitted QSEHRA benefit must be reported on Form W-2. And, employers that sponsor a QSEHRA must file a Form 720 annually and pay PCORI fees under Code section 4376.

Small employers that are considering establishing a QSEHRA for their employees should carefully review IRS Notice 2017-67 and Code section 9831 to ensure appropriate legal compliance. The requirements contained in the guidance are numerous and comprehensive. Additionally, employers should keep in mind that QSEHRAs are still subject to the general welfare benefit plan requirements of ERISA and the HIPAA administrative simplification rules (unless an exception exists). Moreover, benefits under a QSEHRA are taken into account for purposes of the Cadillac Tax provisions under Code section 49801. Thus, employers are encouraged to consult with their legal counsel in conjunction with establishing and administering a QSEHRA. Proper administration is imperative and small errors can have large penalties.

Copies of the Notice and Code section 9831 can be found at the following:

President Trump Signs Executive Order on Health Care; HHS Announces CSR Payments to be Discontinued Immediately

President Donald Trump — *Photo of President Trump’s news conference, courtesy of the White House.*

Yesterday, October 12, 2017, President Trump issued an Executive Order entitled “Promoting Healthcare Choice and Competition Across the United States” (the “Order”). Also on October 12, 2017, the Department of Health and Human Services released a statement that the cost-sharing reduction payments authorized by section 1401 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“subsidies”) will be discontinued immediately (the “HHS Statement”).

Executive Order

The Order articles a “policy of the executive branch, to the extent consistent with law, to facilitate the purchase of insurance across State lines and the development and operation of a healthcare system that provides high-quality care at affordable prices for American people.” To meet this policy goal, President Trump announced that his administration will prioritize three areas of law in the new future: (1) Association Health Plans (“AHPs”); (2) Short-term, Limited-Duration Insurance (STLDI); and (3) Health Reimbursement Arrangements (“HRAs”).

To the extent consistent with law, the Order relevantly announces that government rules and guidelines should expand the availability of and access to PPACA insurance alternatives, including AHPs, STLDI, and HRAs. To effectuate this goal, the Order relevantly indicates:

“Sec. 2. Expanded Access to Association Health Plans. Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Labor shall consider proposing regulations or revising guidance, consistent with law, to expand access to health coverage by allowing more employers to form AHPs. To the extent permitted by law and supported by sound policy, the Secretary should consider expanding the conditions that satisfy the commonality of-interest requirements under current Department of Labor advisory opinions interpreting the definition of an “employer” under section 3(5) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. The Secretary of Labor should also consider ways to promote AHP formation on the basis of common geography or industry.”

“Sec. 3. Expanded Availability of Short-Term, Limited Duration Insurance. Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretaries of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services shall consider proposing regulations or revising guidance, consistent with law, to expand the availability of STLDI. To the extent permitted by law and supported by sound policy, the Secretaries should consider allowing such insurance to cover longer periods and be renewed by the consumer.”

“Sec. 4. Expanded Availability and Permitted Use of Health Reimbursement Arrangements. Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretaries of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services shall consider proposing regulations or revising guidance, to the extent permitted by law and supported by sound policy, to increase the usability of HRAs, to expand employers’ ability to offer HRAs to their employees, and to allow HRAs to be used in conjunction with nongroup coverage.”

At this point is time, no changes to the law have occurred; this Executive Order merely indicates the President’s intent to make changes to the current regulatory structure in the near future. A copy of the Order is available at: www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/10/12/presidential-executive-order-promoting-healthcare-choice-and-competition

HHS Statement

The HHS Statement indicates that its decision to immediately discontinue subsidies is based on a legal opinion issued by the Attorney General. A copy of the HHS Statement and the Attorney General opinion letter are available at: www.hhs.gov/about/news/2017/10/12/trump-administration-takes-action-abide-law-constitution-discontinue-csr-payments.html

We will keep you apprised of future developments in this regard.

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The Future of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act May be Uncertain… But HIPAA is Here to Stay

While the future of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and any potential replacement legislation is still in question, the Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) has clarified through its recent actions that the HIPAA privacy, security, and breach notification rules contained at 45 C.F.R. Parts 160 and 164 (the “Administrative Simplification Rules”) are here to stay. Audits initiated by OCR and investigations resulting from reported violations reveal that HIPAA compliance continues to be a governmental priority under the new administration. Indeed, nine representative resolution agreements have been released by HHS thus far in 2017 (the latest being released earlier this week) assessing a range of penalties from $31,000 to $5.5 million for a covered entity’s failure to comply with various aspects of HIPAA (including but not limited to failure to conduct a thorough and accurate risk analysis, failure to have a business associate agreement in place, failure to have comprehensive policies and procedures in place and implemented, and failure to protect protected health information (“PHI”) from improper use and disclosure). Thus, it is as important as ever for employer-sponsored group health plans to ensure that they are complying with HIPAA’s encompassing and technical requirements. As the various resolution agreements detail, failure to do so can have dire financial consequences on the group health plan (and correspondingly on the sponsoring employer).

HIPAA’s Administrative Simplification Rules require covered entities and their business associates to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PHI from improper use and disclosure. A group health plan falls within the definition of “covered entity.” Third parties who create, receive, maintain and/or transmit PHI for or on behalf of a covered entity are generally considered “business associates.” See 45 C.F.R. 160.103. Complying with HIPAA’s Administrative Simplification Rules can be a daunting task for group health plans and the employers sponsoring them. For example, administratively, group health plans are required to create, maintain, implement, and periodically review and update several written documents. The following provides a “checklist” approach of some important documents that group health plans need to have in place in order to comply with the Administrative Simplification Rules. Please keep in mind, however, that merely having the documents in place is insufficient from a HIPAA compliance standpoint; group health plans (and plan sponsors) also need to ensure that they are actually implementing, adhering to, and periodically reviewing the substance of the documents. Thus, it is imperative for employer-sponsored group health plans to continually evaluate their HIPAA compliance position with experienced HIPAA legal counsel. Even minor deficiencies can result in substantial penalties.

1. Business Associate Agreements

A covered entity may permit a business associate to create, receive, maintain or transmit PHI on its behalf only after it obtains satisfactory assurances in the form of a written business associate contract that the business associate will appropriately safeguard the information. See 45 C.F.R. sections 164.502, 164.504, and 164.314. A business associate agreement is a cornerstone HIPAA requirement that is commanding more and more scrutiny by the government.

For example, a resolution agreement released on April 20, 2017, demonstrated that a covered entity’s failure to have a business associate agreement in place with a third party vendor that had access to the covered entity’s PHI was a $31,000 mistake. Interestingly, the compliance review of the covered entity was initiated by OCR following OCR’s investigation of the business associate. The two-year corrective action plan associated with the $31,000 fine required, among other things, that the covered entity revise its HIPAA policies and procedures to require: (1) the designation of one or more individual(s) who are responsible for ensuring that the covered entity enters into a business associate agreement with each of its business associates prior to disclosing PHI to the applicable business associate; (2) the creation of a standard template business associate agreement; (3) a process for assessing current and future business relationships to determine whether each relationship is with a “business associate;” (4) a process for negotiating and entering into business associate agreements with business associates prior to disclosing PHI to the business associate; (5) a process for maintaining documentation of business associate agreements for at least six years beyond the date of when the business associate relationship is terminated; and (6) a process to limit disclosures of PHI to business associates to the minimum necessary amount of PHI that is reasonably necessary for business associates to perform their duties.

The government’s demand for the creation of a standard template business associate agreement is of particular note for employers sponsoring group health plans for some important reasons. First, HIPAA’s Administrative Simplification Rules contain detailed provisions that must be included in a business associate agreement; variations from these strict regulatory requirements can make the agreement noncompliant. If a group health plan has a template business associate agreement in place prepared by experienced HIPAA legal counsel, it can be assured that the agreement is HIPAA compliant. When the document has been prepared by another party (such as the business associate), the group health plan should have the agreement carefully reviewed to ensure each of the regulatory provisions are correctly stated. Second, like any contract, business associate agreements can be drafted in a one-sided manner. A group health plan will want to have its standard business associate agreement prepared to adequately address, among other items, reporting time limits and indemnification requirements in the group health plan’s favor. While the HIPAA Administrative Simplification Rules set forth minimum requirements, keep in mind that additional information can be included within the agreement. Thus, each contract should be reviewed to ensure that the additional provisions are in fact desirable to be included from the group health plan’s perspective.

2. Security Policies and Procedures

A covered entity is required to implement reasonable and appropriate written policies and procedures to comply with the standards, implementation specifications, and other requirements of the security rules. See 45 C.F.R. 164.316. This requires the covered entity to implement administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect the confidentiality and integrity of electronic PHI (“EPHI”). Various resolution agreements highlight the need: (1) for comprehensive security policies and procedures; (2) to train workforce members on the policies and procedures; and (3) periodically evaluate the scope of the policies and procedures.

One of the cornerstones of a covered entity’s security policies and procedures is its security management process. This requires the covered entity to: (1) periodically conduct an accurate and thorough risk analysis of potential risks and vulnerabilities to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of EPHI held by the covered entity; (2) implement security measures sufficient to reduce the detected risks and vulnerabilities to a reasonable and appropriate level; (3) apply appropriate sanctions against workforce members who fail to comply with the security policies and procedures; and (4) implement procedures to regularly review records of information system activity, such as audit logs, access reports, and security incident tracking reports.

Indeed, two April 2017 resolution agreements demonstrate the need to conduct a thorough and accurate risk analysis to assess the potential risks and vulnerabilities to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of EPHI and to implement security measures sufficient to reduce those risks and vulnerabilities. In an April 24, 2017 resolution agreement, the covered entity’s HIPAA deficiencies resulted in a $2.5 million settlement. A resolution agreement released April 12, 2017 resulted in a $400,000 settlement. Among other things, the corrective action plan in both cases requires the covered entity to conduct and provide the results of a comprehensive risk analysis to HHS. Thereafter, the covered entity is required to review the risk analysis annually (or more frequently, if appropriate) and promptly update the risk analysis in response to environmental or operational changes affecting the security of EPHI. Thus, through its resolution agreements, HHS is emphasizing the fluid need to ensure that electronic systems adequately safeguard EPHI and that covered entities are appropriately minimizing risk.

3. Privacy Policies and Procedures

Pursuant to 45 CFR 164.530, a covered entity is required to implement written policies and procedures with respect to PHI that are designed to comply with the HIPAA privacy rules and breach notification rules. A limited exception to this requirement is available under 45 CFR 164.530(k) for certain fully-insured group health plans that maintain a “hands off” status (i.e., the group health plan does not create or receive PHI except for certain summary health information and/or enrollment/disenrollment information). Among other items, the privacy policies and procedures must address how a covered entity may use and disclose PHI. They also must address an individual’s rights with respect to his or her PHI and which employees will be granted access to PHI. One May 2017 resolution agreement resulted from a covered entity’s improper disclosure of PHI to the media and various public officials without proper authorization. Another May 2017 resolution agreement resulted from a covered entity’s improper disclosure of PHI to his workplace. The corrective action plans associated with the resolution agreements required the covered entity to develop/review, maintain, and revise as necessary written policies and procedures (which relevantly would set forth the permissible uses and disclosure of PHI), to distribute such policies and procedures to the workforce, and to assess, update, and revise, as necessary, the policies and procedures at least annually. Thus, implementation of comprehensive privacy policies and procedures is deemed a necessity by HHS.

4. Notice of Privacy Practices

Pursuant to 45 CFR 164.520, an individual has a right to adequate notice of the uses and disclosures of PHI that may be made by the covered entity and of the individual’s rights and the covered entity’s legal duties with respect to PHI. The notice of privacy practices is essentially a summary of the covered entity’s privacy policies and procedures. The plan sponsor is obligated under the privacy rules to ensure that the notice is prepared and timely and appropriately distributed to plan participants, except in the case of certain fully-insured group health plans that maintain a hands off status, in which case the insurer has the duty. The content and distribution requirements for notices of privacy practices are strict. Thus, it is imperative for plan sponsors to ensure legal compliance.

5. Plan Sponsor Certifications

A group health plan may disclose PHI to the plan sponsor for plan administration functions only after: (1) the plan document has been amended to incorporate various regulatory requirements related to the plan’s use and disclosure of PHI, and (2) the plan sponsor has certified to the plan, in writing, that the plan has been amended and that the plan sponsor agrees to the restrictions contained in the amendment. See 45 C.F.R. 164.504 and 164.314. Plan sponsors must ensure that their plans have been appropriately amended and that proper written certification is in place.

6. Workforce Training

A covered entity is required to provide training to all members of its workforce on its HIPAA policies and procedures, as necessary and appropriate for the members of the workforce to carry out their functions within the covered entity. Various resolution agreements stress the necessity of conducting and documenting comprehensive training. For example, two May 2017 resolution agreements indicate that training must be reviewed at least annually, and, where appropriate, updated to reflect changes in the law, issues discovered during internal or external audits, and other relevant developments. Thus, plan sponsors must continually evaluate the need for workforce training and tailor such training to their internal structure.

These are just some of the written documentation requirements that group health plans must adhere to under HIPAA’s Administrative Simplification Rules. Regulatory provisions must be reviewed in conjunction with the group health plan’s administrative practices when drafting these documents. The resolution agreements released this year reaffirm the notion that employer-sponsored group health plans must evaluate their HIPAA compliance position with experienced HIPAA legal counsel. Deficiencies can result in substantial penalties. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have with respect to your HIPAA compliance endeavors.

Copies of the resolution agreements are available by clicking HERE.

This email serves solely as a general summary of complex proposed legislation and government initiatives. It does not constitute legal guidance. Please contact us with any questions related to the Proposed Legislation and what impact finalization might have on your employer-sponsored plans.

Questions? Contact us to learn more.

Employer-Sponsored Plans Take Note: The Legislative Process to Amend, Repeal, and Replace Aspects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has Begun

Employer-plan sponsors need to be ready to act as changes to the landscape of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”) as applied to employer-sponsored group health plans are looming on the horizon.

On January 20, 2017, President Trump signed Executive Order 13765 titled “Minimizing the Economic Burden of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Pending Repeal” (the “Executive Order”). The Executive Order indicates a clear intent to repeal the PPACA in the future and in the meantime urges federal government agencies to take legally permissible leniencies in enforcing certain aspects of the PPACA: “To the maximum extent permitted by law, . . . [executive departments and agencies] . . . shall exercise all authority and discretion available to them to waive, defer, grant exemptions from, or delay the implementation of any provision or requirement of the Act that would impose a fiscal burden on any State or a cost, fee, tax, penalty, or regulatory burden on individuals, families, healthcare providers, health insurers, patients, recipients of healthcare services, purchasers of health insurance, or makers of medical devices, products, or medications.” A copy of the Executive Order is available at: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2017-01-24/pdf/2017-01799.pdf

While the Executive Order serves as a general mission statement for the new administration, it does not provide an instantaneous change to the PPACA (the President cannot, by unilateral action, repeal final regulations). Furthermore, while the Executive Order provides a clear overall goal, it does not include details regarding how this goal will be achieved. Moreover, the Executive Order does not specifically mention any relief for employers or plan sponsors, nor does it discuss if and how any PPACA provisions regulating employers and employer-sponsored plans are expected to be impacted. Since the release of the Executive Order, all eyes in the benefits community have been on the status of the PPACA.

In the wake of the Executive Order, in February 2017, the IRS became the first agency to follow the Executive Order’s directive to start unwinding certain provisions of the PPACA. Specifically, the IRS released a statement indicating that individual tax returns will not be automatically rejected during processing merely because the taxpayer fails to indicate his or her health coverage status. This IRS statement appears to have loosened the IRS’ enforcement of the individual shared responsibility mandate. The IRS’ statement related to the individual shared responsibility mandate can be found at: https://www.irs.gov/affordable-care-act/individuals-and-families/individual-shared-responsibility-provision

It is important to note that the IRS statement did not indicate that the IRS would waive penalties for individuals who fail to maintain compliant health insurance coverage: “However, legislative provisions of the ACA are still in force until changed by Congress, and taxpayers remain required to follow the law and pay what they may owe.” And, again, the IRS statement does not address anything about its enforcement of the employer shared responsibility mandate or other PPACA provisions regulating employer-sponsored plans. Thus, the Executive Order and IRS statement have left the employee benefits community uncertain as to how the new administration intends to address the PPACA as it relates to employer-sponsored plans.

Yesterday, however, the House Republicans addressed this looming issue. On March 6, 2017, the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee each released proposed legislation to repeal and replace certain aspects of the PPACA, entitled the American Health Care Act (the “Proposed Legislation”). The Proposed Legislation provides insight into how the landscape of the PPACA may be altered with respect to employer-sponsored plans.

If enacted as drafted, the Proposed Legislation, as summarized, would dismantle certain taxes imposed under the PPACA, eliminate both the individual and employer shared responsibility mandate penalties, while keeping other portions of the PPACA in place, such as prohibiting pre-existing condition exclusions from coverage and allowing dependents to continue coverage under their parents’ health plans until the age of 26.

Other provisions of the Proposed Legislation establish a patient and state stability fund to provide states financial assistance to design programs aimed at each state’s own population and needs for affordable health care, transition Medicaid to a “per capita allotment,” increase the contribution maximums for health savings accounts (HSAs), repeal the tax on over the counter drugs, repeal the limitations of contributions to health flexible spending accounts, and assist those in the low to middle-income brackets with monthly tax credits to assist with health care costs.

A summary of the Proposed Legislation impacting employers, as prepared by the Committee on Ways and Means Majority Staff, is as follows:

“SUBTITLE _ — REPEAL AND REPLACE OF HEALTH-RELATED TAX POLICY”

“SECTION_04: SMALL BUSINESS TAX CREDIT

“This section repeals Obamacare’s small business tax credit beginning in 2020. Between 2018 and 2020, under the proposal, the small business tax credit generally is not available with respect to a qualified health plan that provides coverage relating to elective abortions.”

“SECTION_06: EMPLOYER MANDATE

“Under current law, certain employers are required to provide health insurance or pay a penalty. This section would reduce the penalty to zero for failure to provide minimum essential coverage; effectively Prepared by the Committee on Ways and Means Majority Staff March 6, 2017 repealing the employer mandate. The effective date would apply for months beginning after December 31, 2015, providing retroactive relief to those impacted by the penalty in 2016.

“SECTION_07: REPEAL OF THE TAX ON EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS AND HEALTH PLAN BENEFITS

“Obamacare imposed a 40 percent excise tax on high cost employer-sponsored health coverage, also known as Cadillac plans. Under current law, the tax will go into effect in 2020. This section changes the effective date of the tax. It will not apply for any taxable period beginning after December 31, 2019, and before January 1, 2025. Thus, the tax will apply only for taxable periods beginning after December 31, 2024.

“SECTION_08: REPEAL OF THE TAX ON OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATIONS

“Under current law, taxpayers may use several different types of tax-advantaged health savings accounts to help pay or be reimbursed for qualified medical expenses. Obamacare excluded over-the counter medications from the definition of qualified medical expenses. This section effectively repeals the Obamacare tax on over-the-counter medications. The effective date begins tax year 2018.

“SECTION_09: REPEAL OF INCREASE OF TAX ON HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS

“Distributions from an HSA or Archer MSA that are used for qualified medical expenses are excludible from gross income. Distributions that are not used for qualified medical expenses are includible in income and are generally subject to an additional tax. Obamacare increased the percentage of the tax on distributions that are not used for qualified medical expenses to 20 percent. This section lowers the rate to pre-Obamacare percentages. This change is effective for distributions after December 31, 2017.

“SECTION_10: REPEAL OF LIMITATIONS ON CONTRIBUTIONS TO FLEXIBLE SAVINGS ACCOUNTS

“Obamacare limits the amount an employer or individual may contribute to a health Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to $2,500, indexed for cost-of-living adjustments. This section repeals the limitation on health FSA contributions for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017.”

“SECTION_12: REPEAL OF ELIMINATION OF DEDUCTION FOR EXPENSES ALLOCABLE TO MEDICARE PART D SUBSIDY

“Prior to Obamacare, as an incentive for employers to offer retiree drug coverage, employers who offered sufficient prescription drug coverage to their employees qualified for the Retiree Drug Subsidy to help cover actual spending for prescription drug costs. Obamacare eliminated the ability for employers to take a tax deduction on the value of this subsidy. This section repeals this Obamacare change and re-instates the business-expense deduction for retiree prescription drug costs without Prepared by the Committee on Ways and Means Majority Staff March 6, 2017 reduction by the amount of any federal subsidy. This section applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017.”

“SECTION_14: REPEAL OF MEDICARE TAX INCREASE
“Obamacare imposed a Medicare Hospital Insurance (HI) surtax based on income at a rate equal to 0.9 percent of an employee’s wages or a self-employed individual’s self-employment income. This section repeals the additional 0.9 percent Medicare tax beginning in 2018.

“SECTION_15: REFUNDABLE TAX CREDIT FOR HEALTH INSURANCE

[***]

“The program also calls for simplified reporting of an offer of coverage on the W-2 by employers. Reconciliation rules limit the ability of Congress to repeal the current reporting, but, when the current reporting becomes redundant and replaced by the reporting mechanism called for in the bill, then the Secretary of the Treasury can stop enforcing reporting that is not needed for taxable purposes.

“SECTION_16: MAXIMUM CONTRIBUTION LIMIT TO HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT INCREASED TO AMOUNT OF DEDUCTIBLE AND OUT-OF-POCKET LIMITATION

“This section increases the basic limit on aggregate Health Savings Account contributions for a year to equal the maximum on the sum of the annual deductible and out-of-pocket expenses permitted under a high deductible health plan. Thus, the basic limit will be at least $6,550 in the case of self-only coverage and $13,100 in the case of family coverage beginning in 2018.

“SECTION_17: ALLOW BOTH SPOUSES TO MAKE CATCH-UP CONTRIBUTIONS

“This section would effectively allow both spouses to make catch-up contributions to one HSA beginning in 2018.

“SECTION_18: SPECIAL RULE FOR CERTAIN MEDICAL EXPENSES INCURRED BEFORE ESTABLISHMENT OF HSA

“This section sets forth certain circumstances under which HSA withdrawals can be used to pay qualified medical expenses incurred before the HSA was established. Starting in 2018, if an HSA is established during the 60-day period beginning on the date that an individual’s coverage under a high deductible health plan begins, then the HSA is treated as having been established on the date coverage under the high deductible health plan begins for purposes of determining if an expense incurred is a qualified medical expense.”

“SUBTITLE _ — REPEAL AND REPLACE OF CERTAIN CONSUMER TAXES”

“SECTION_02: REPEAL OF HEALTH INSURANCE TAX

“Obamacare imposed an annual fee on certain health insurers. The proposal repeals the health insurance tax beginning after December 31, 2017.”

For the full summary of the Proposed Legislation, please see: https://waysandmeans.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/03.06.17-Section-by-Section.pdf and http://energycommerce.house.gov/sites/republicans.energycommerce.house.gov/files/documents/Section-by-Section%20Summary_Final.pdf

Please note that the American Health Care Act is proposed legislation; the changes which may be made to the PPACA through final legislation are still uncertain. The Committees for both the House Ways and Means and the House Energy and Commerce have scheduled a markup of this proposed legislation for tomorrow, Wednesday March 8^th. Unless and until any legislation is finalized, employers must stay their current course, including complying with ACA employer reporting requirements and the employer shared responsibility mandate.

We will keep you posted as the legislative process progresses.

Questions? Contact us to learn more.

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Employers Take Note – IRS Extends Deadline for 2016 ACA Information Reporting For Individuals!

The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) has extended the deadline for 2016 Information Reporting by employers (and other entities) to individuals under Internal Revenue Code sections 6055 and 6056 by just over one month. However, the deadline for these entities to file with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) remains the same.

IRS Notice 2016-70 extends the due dates for the following 2016 information reporting Forms from January 31, 2017 to March 2, 2017:

2016 Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage
2016 Form 1095-B, Health Coverage

However, the due dates for filing these Forms and their Transmittals with the IRS remains unchanged. Specifically, the due date for filing the following documents with the IRS is February 28, 2017; however, if filing electronically, the due date is March 31, 2017 (employers who are required to file 250 or more Forms must file electronically):

2016 Form 1094-B, Transmittal of Health Coverage Information Returns, and the 2016 Form 1095-B, Health Coverage
2016 Form 1094-C, Transmittal of Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage Information Returns, and the 2016 Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage

As a result of these extensions, individuals might not receive a Form 1095-B or Form 1095-C by the time they file their 2016 tax returns. In such case, IRS Notice 2016-70 explains that individual taxpayers may instead rely on other information received from their employers or other coverage providers for purposes of filing their tax returns and do not need to wait to receive Forms 1095-B and 1095-C before filing. Once they do receive their forms, the individuals should keep it with their tax records. You can find the full Notice here.

Please note that no further extension beyond the March 2, 2017 deadline is allowed. Therefore, this deadline for furnishing the Forms to individuals must be met. However, additional extensions may still be available for filing these Forms with the IRS.

Background

As provided in previous Client Alerts, information reporting requirements are applicable under two Internal Revenue Code (“Code”) sections as follows:

Section 6055 for insurers, self-insuring employers, and certain other providers of minimum essential coverage; and
Section 6056 for applicable large employers.

Employers who are deemed applicable large employers, as well as employers of any size who offer self-funded health coverage, must carefully review and study these instructions, which set forth numerous details, definitions and indicator codes which must be used to complete the requisite forms. The instructions address the “when, where and how” to file, extensions and waivers that may be available, how to file corrected returns, and potential relief from penalties imposed for incorrect or incomplete filing.

The IRS utilizes information from these returns to determine which individuals were offered minimum essential coverage, whether individuals were eligible for premium tax credits in the Marketplace, as well as to determine penalties to be imposed on employers under Pay or Play (Code section 4890H; Shared Responsibility for Employers Regarding Health Coverage, 26 CFR Parts 1, 54, and 301, 79 Fed. Reg. 8543 (Feb. 12, 2014)). Due to the impact of proper reporting, a clear understanding of these forms and instructions is essential.

Code section 6055 applies to employers of any size who self-insure. Non-applicable large employers with self-funded plans must report their information on Form 1095-B, as well as on transmittal Form 1094-B. All of the Forms 1095-B together with the Transmittal Form 1094-B constitute the Code section 6055 information return that is required to be filed with the IRS. Again, if the employer who self-insures is also an applicable large employer, the employer will instead use Forms 1095-C and 1094-C, which include a section for self-insured plans.

Employers subject to these requirements must report in early 2017 for the entire 2016 calendar year.

Additionally, employers must provide informational statements to the individuals for whom they are reporting. Form 1095-C or Form 1095-B (as applicable) may be used as this informational statement.

The links to the Final Forms and Instructions are below:

2016 Forms for Applicable Large Employers (Code Section 6056)

2016 Instructions for Forms 1094-C and 1095-C: click here.

Form 1095-C, Employer Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage: click here.

Form 1094-C, Transmittal of Employer Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage Information Returns: click here.

Additionally, the IRS has posted numerous Questions and Answers regarding Code section 6056 on its website, here.

2016 Forms for Employers who Self-Fund (Code Section 6055)

2016 Instructions for Forms 1094-B and 1095-B

Form 1095-B, Health Coverage

Form 1094-B, Transmittal of Health Coverage Information Returns

The IRS’ Questions and Answers regarding Code section 6055 can be found here.

Change in Forms for 2016

The changes to the 2016 forms are reflected in the above Instructions but are relatively minor in scope. The most noteworthy changes are to Form 1094-C with the removal of the Line 22 box for “Qualifying Offer Method Transition Relief” as it was only applicable for 2015; as well as two new Line 14 codes (1J and 1K) added to Form 1095-C which are available to reflect conditional offers of coverage to an employee’s spouse. As explained in the instructions, a conditional offer of coverage to a spouse is “an offer of coverage that is subject to one or more reasonable, objective conditions (for example, an offer to cover an employee’s spouse only if the spouse is not eligible for coverage under Medicare or a group health plan sponsored by another employer).” See 2016 Instructions for Forms 1094-C and 1095-C.

Penalties Imposed

Both sets of Instructions (for Forms 1094/1095-B and Forms 1094/1095-C) set forth the following penalty information for failure to comply with the information reporting requirements for 2016:

The penalty for failure to file a correct information return is $260 for each return for which the failure occurs, with the total penalty for a calendar year not to exceed $3,193,000.

The penalty for failure to provide a correct payee statement is $260 for each statement for which the failure occurs, with the total penalty for a calendar year not to exceed $3,193,000.

Special rules apply that increase the per-statement and total penalties if there is intentional disregard of the requirement to file the returns and furnish the required statements.

However, the IRS has continued the good faith transition relief from penalties for 2016. Indeed, IRS Notice 2017-70 states:

Specifically, this notice extends transition relief from penalties under sections 6721 and 6722 to reporting entities that can show that they have made good-faith efforts to comply with the information-reporting requirements under sections 6055 and 6056 for 2016 (both for furnishing to individuals and for filing with the Service) for incorrect or incomplete information reported on the return or statement. This relief applies to missing and inaccurate taxpayer identification numbers and dates of birth, as well as other information required on the return or statement. No relief is provided in the case of reporting entities that do not make a good-faith effort to comply with the regulations or that fail to file an information return or furnish a statement by the due dates (as extended under the rules described above).

Thus, it is imperative to timely distribute and file the forms; otherwise penalties may ensue.

This correspondence is intended to provide general information only, does not constitute legal advice, and cannot be used or substituted for legal or tax advice.

Questions? Contact us to learn more.

Elizabeth H. Latchana specializes in employee health and welfare benefits. Recognized for her outstanding legal work, she was selected as the 2015 “Lawyer of the Year” in Lansing for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law by Best Lawyers. Contact her for more information on this reminder or other matters at 517.377.0826 or elatchana@fraserlawfirm.com.
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Is Your Employer Group Health Plan Design Compliant with the Section 1557 Nondiscrimination Rules?

As an employer, you are likely subject to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. But did you know that your group health plan may also be subject to similar nondiscrimination rules? Employers should carefully analyze whether and to what extent they must comply with Section 1557, which is the nondiscrimination section of the Affordable Care Act. Similar to Title VII, it prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability; however, this law specifically regulates health programs and activities.

If you or your health plan are deemed a covered entity under Section 1557, you have some additional compliance measures to undertake, which include:

-Ensuring your group health plan offers compliant coverage (changes must be made by January 1, 2017)

-Posting appropriate notices within significant publications, on the premises, and on your website

-Ensuring proper grievance procedures are adopted and followed (if applicable)

Here are the questions you should be asking:

Does a covered entity exist?
If yes, will the employer be liable?
Does the employer’s group health plan offer compliant coverage?
Are the employer’s physical facilities compliant?
Are the proper notices included in significant publications and posted on the premises and websites?
Are the appropriate grievance procedures being followed?
If Section 1557 in not applicable, why should I care?

Covered Entities

While this is not a comprehensive review, please be aware that health programs or activities receiving federal funds must carefully scrutinize their responsibilities under Section 1557. A “covered entity” is an entity that operates a health program or activity, any part of which receives Federal financial assistance. The definitions of “health program or activity” and “federal financial assistance” are:

“Health program or activity means the provision or administration of health related services, health-related insurance coverage, or other health related coverage, and the provision of assistance to individuals in obtaining health-related services or health-related insurance coverage. For an entity principally engaged in providing or administering health services or health insurance coverage or other health coverage, all of its operations are considered part of the health program or activity, except as specifically set forth otherwise in this part. Such entities include a hospital, health clinic, group health plan, health insurance issuer, physician’s practice, community health center, nursing facility, residential or community-based treatment facility, or other similar entity. A health program or activity also includes all of the operations of a State Medicaid program, a Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Basic Health Program.”

“Federal financial assistance. (1) Federal financial assistance means any grant, loan, credit, subsidy, contract (other than a procurement contract but including a contract of insurance), or any other arrangement by which the Federal government provides or otherwise makes available assistance in the form of: (i) Funds; (ii) Services of Federal personnel; or (iii) Real and personal property or any interest in or use of such property, including: (A) Transfers or leases of such property for less than fair market value or for reduced consideration; and (B) Proceeds from a subsequent transfer or lease of such property if the Federal share of its fair market value is not returned to the Federal government. (2) Federal financial assistance the Department provides or otherwise makes available includes Federal financial assistance that the Department plays a role in providing or administering, including all tax credits under Title I of the ACA, as well as payments, subsidies, or other funds extended by the Department to any entity providing health-related insurance coverage for payment to or on behalf of an individual obtaining health related insurance coverage from that entity or extended by the Department directly to such individual for payment to any entity providing health-related insurance coverage.”

If the employer operates a health program or activity and receives federal financial assistance, the employer must next determine if it can be held responsible for violations of Section 1557.

Employer Liability

Providing a health plan for employees and receiving federal financial assistance in some other capacity will not necessarily mean that the employer can be liable under Section 1557. Instead, there are only three instances where employer liability is at issue for discrimination in employee health benefit programs.

A covered entity that provides an employee health benefit program to its employees and/or their dependents shall be liable for violations of this part in that employee health benefit program only when:

The entity is principally engaged in providing or administering health services, health insurance coverage, or other health coverage (such as hospitals, carriers, TPAs, etc);

The entity receives Federal financial assistance a primary objective of which is to fund the entity’s employee health benefit program (such as by receiving Retiree drug subsidies); or

The entity is not principally engaged in providing or administering health services, health insurance coverage, or other health coverage, but operates a health program or activity, which is not an employee health benefit program, that receives Federal financial assistance; except that the entity is liable under this part with regard to the provision or administration of employee health benefits only with respect to the employees in that health program or activity.

If the employer can be liable, it must ensure it offers compliant coverage, has disability accessible premises, posts the required notices, and follows grievance procedures (for employers with 15 or more employees).

Compliant Coverage, Notices & Grievance Procedures, and Physical Location Accessibility

If subject to Section 1557, the employer must ensure nondiscriminatory plan coverage is in effect by January 1, 2017. Again, coverage cannot discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability; however, the law also specific requirements with regard to gender identity and transition exclusions and limitations.

Notices describing Section 1557 must be posted and must include taglines for at least the top 15 languages spoken in in the applicable state by individuals with limited English proficiency.

In a conspicuously-visible font size, the Notices must be posted:

In significant publications and significant communications targeted to beneficiaries, enrollees, applicants, and members of the public, (except for significant publications and significant communications that are small-sized, such as postcards and tri-fold brochures, which instead use a shorter notice with only 2 taglines);
In conspicuous physical locations where the entity interacts with the public (i.e., where other legal notices are posted for employees); and
In a conspicuous location on the covered entity’s Web site accessible from the home page of the covered entity’s Web site.

With respect to the Web site requirement, the Preamble provides the following additional information:

We stated that covered entities may satisfy the requirement to post the notice on the covered entity’s home page by including a link in a conspicuous location on the covered entity’s home page that immediately directs the individual to the content of the notice elsewhere on the Web site. Similarly, we stated with regard to the requirement to post taglines that covered entities can comply by posting ‘‘in language’’ Web links, which are links written in each of the 15 non-English languages posted conspicuously on the home page that direct the individual to the full text of the tagline indicating how the individual may obtain language assistance services. For instance, a tagline directing an individual to a Web site with the full text of a tagline written in Haitian Creole should appear as ‘‘Kreyo`l Ayisien’’ rather than ‘‘Haitian Creole.’’

Sample notices and procedures can be found within the regulations and on the government website:

For the final regulations click here: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-05-18/pdf/2016-11458.pdf

The notices and translated taglines are here: http://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/section-1557/translated-resources/

FAQs can be found here: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2016-05-13-section-1557-final-rule-external-faqs-508.pdf

The following link provides information on taglines: http://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/section-1557/1557faqs/top15-languages/index.html

Finally, HHS has since listed the top 15 languages by state: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/resources-for-covered-entities-top-15-languages-list.pdf

Additionally, Section 1557 requires that physical locations be disability compliant, and the employer must adopt grievance procedures to handle Section 1557 complaints consistently.

Nondiscrimination Compliance with Health Plan Coverage Even if Section 1557 if Inapplicable

Please note that even if an employer is not subject to Section 1557, the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services (OFR) may refer a discriminatory design to the EEOC for investigation. Please see the Preamble to the regulations at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-05-18/pdf/2016-11458.pdf :

Where … the alleged discrimination relates to the benefit design of a self-insured plan—for example, where a plan excludes coverage for all health services related to gender transition—and where OCR has jurisdiction over a claim against an employer under Section 1557 because the employer falls under one of the categories in § 92.208, OCR will typically address the complaint against that employer.

As part of its enforcement authority, OCR may refer matters to other Federal agencies with jurisdiction over the entity. Where, for example, OCR lacks jurisdiction over an employer responsible for benefit design, OCR typically will refer or transfer the matter to the EEOC and allow that agency to address the matter.

Therefore, careful attention to Section 1557’s requirements is important for plan design regardless of direct employer liability under the law.

This correspondence is intended to provide general information only, does not constitute legal advice, and cannot be used or substituted for legal or tax advice.

Questions? Contact us to learn more.

Why Your Caretaker Agreement Should Be Medicaid-Compliant, Even If You’re Not on Medicaid

Under current Medicaid policy, what you don’t know about care contracts might actually hurt you. The definition of what is considered a care contract under Medicaid policy is broad. Currently, any arrangement under which an individual is paying for health care monitoring, medical treatment, securing hospitalization, visitation, entertainment, shopping, home help or other assistance with activities of daily living is considered a personal care contract. Further, any arrangement which pays for expenses such as home/cottage/car repairs, property maintenance, property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, heat and utilities for the homestead or other real property of the client’s is considered a home care contract. These are the types of things that allow individuals to age in place and remain in their homes as long as possible, as opposed to entering a nursing home.

The reason Medicaid’s care contract policy will harm those who don’t know about it is all payments made to caregivers for any of these types of services within 5 years of applying for Medicaid benefits will be considered a divestment for purposes of Medicaid eligibility unless a Medicaid-compliant caregiver contract was in place. Divestments are defined as transfers for less than fair market value. Divestments result in a penalty period during which Medicaid will not pay for an individual’s costs for long-term care services, home and community-based services, home help, and home health.

Most people do not anticipate entering a nursing home or needing long-term care Medicaid benefits. Even so, they are expected to know when and if this will occur, and they need to know at least 5 years in advance so that they can take the necessary precautions with respect to personal care and home care contracts, or face penalty. No one has a crystal ball that views 5 years out; therefore, the best practice is to establish Medicaid-compliant caretaker contracts for all personal care and home care contracts to ensure no penalty is assessed in the event that long-term care Medicaid is needed in the future.

Additionally, this policy applies equally to arrangements with both relatives (anyone related by blood, marriage or adoption) and non-relatives (including third-party commercial providers).

For a personal or home care agreement to be considered Medicaid-compliant (i.e. not be considered a transfer for less than fair market value [i.e. divestment] for purposes of Medicaid), each of the following must be met:

The services must only be performed after a written legal contract/agreement has been executed between the client and provider.
The contract/agreement must be dated, notarized, and signed by the provider and the client, either individually or by the client’s agent under a power of attorney, guardian, or conservator, provided that the person signing for the client is not the provider or the beneficiary of services.
No services may be paid for until the services have been provided (there cannot be prospective payment for future expenses or services).
At the time that services are received, the client cannot be residing in a nursing facility, adult foster care home (license or unlicensed), institution for mental diseases, inpatient hospital, or intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
At the time that services are received, the client cannot be eligible for home and community based wavier, home health, or home help.
The contract/agreement must show the type, frequency and duration of such services being provided to the client and the amount of compensation being paid to the provider.
Payment for companionship services is prohibited.
At the time services are received, the services must have been recommended in writing and signed by the client’s physician as necessary to prevent the transfer of the client to a residential care or nursing facility.

Note, also, that there is a presumption that relatives who provide home and personal care services do so for love and affection only. Payment for home and personal care services to relatives creates a rebuttable presumption that the payment was a transfer for less than fair market value (i.e. a divestment). Therefore, even if a Medicaid-compliant caregiver contract is in place for services provided by a relative, if and when Medicaid is applied for, the Department of Health and Human Services will determine fair market value for such services by comparing the contract price to other area businesses which provide such services. If the relative’s rate was greater, it will very likely be considered a divestment. For this reason, it would be wise to compare a relative caretaker’s cost of services to other providers in the area in advance to be sure the rate is similar. Additionally, it is recommended that the documentation gathered is retained in case fair market value is contested in the future.

Questions? Contact us to learn more.

Fraser Trebilcock provides counsel on all matters relating to the legal planning for care and support of those needing Medicare and Medicaid. Attorney Melisa M. W. Mysliwiec focuses her work in the areas of Elder Law and Medicaid planning, estate planning, and trust and estate administration. She can be reached at mmysliwiec@fraserlawfirm.com or 616-301-0800. You can also click here to learn more about our Trusts & Estates practice.

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13 Fraser Trebilcock Attorneys Selected for 2014 List of Super Lawyers, 2 Named “Rising Stars”

Thirteen Fraser Trebilcock attorneys have been selected for inclusion on the 2014 list of Super Lawyers, with two additional attorneys named “2014 Rising Stars in Michigan”. In addition, the firm is proud to announce that attorney Marlaine C. Teahan has been included as one of the ‘Top 50 Female Attorneys in Michigan’, one of the ‘Top 50 Consumer Law Attorneys in Michigan’, and as one of the ‘Top 25 Female Consumer Law Attorneys in Michigan’. Here is the complete list of Fraser Trebilcock attorneys selected:

Continue reading 13 Fraser Trebilcock Attorneys Selected for 2014 List of Super Lawyers, 2 Named “Rising Stars”