Here is recent information published by Alliant discussing the various provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. These materials were provided to participants in an Alliant-sponsored webinar held on June 29.

PPACA 2010-2011 Requirements

Health Care Reform Checklist

061510 Interim Final Regulations on Grandfathered Plan Status

062410 Additional Interim Final Regulations for Health Care Reform

On June 17, 2010, interim final regulations relating to “grandfathered” health plans were published. Some of the provisions in the health care reform law (known as “PPACA”) do not apply to a grandfathered health plan.  For example, a grandfathered health plan does not currently have to cover an older child (up to age 26) if the child has other employer-sponsored coverage available.  In contrast, a non-grandfathered health plan generally would have to cover such an older child.

Unfortunately, the statute itself gives little guidance on when a plan is grandfathered.  The new regulations from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), Department of Labor (“DOL”) and Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) fill in this gap and provide important guidance for plan sponsors.

Here are the regulations and an Alliant Compliance Alert describing how a plan can lose grandfather status.

Regulations

Alliant Compliance Alert

Here is the list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) from the Webinar on the ERRP held on June 8th.

Additional information about the ERRP application process will soon be made available. We are still waiting for HHS to confirm the address for filing the application and to finalize the application itself.

Alliant is hosting a Webinar to discuss the ERRP on June 8 at 10 AM. Our legal counsel will report on the latest developments concerning this Program. Follow the link below for an invitation.

http://events.alliantinsurance.com/events/event-40.htm

Congress appropriated funding of $5 billion for the temporary Program to provides reimbursement to participating employment-based plans for a portion of the cost of health benefits for early retirees and their spouses, surviving spouses and dependents. The Program will reimburse plans for certain claims between $15,000 and $90,000 (with those amounts being indexed for plan years starting on or after October 1, 2011).

While regulations have already been issued in regard to the ERRP, HHS has not yet published an application form or a claim form. We are watching HHS very closely and will bring the information to you as soon as it’s published. Attend this Webinar to learn more.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) requires plans and issuers that offer coverage to children on their parents’ plan to make the coverage available until the adult child reaches the age of 26. Plans that offer dependent coverage must offer coverage to enrollees’ adult children until age 26, even if the young adult no longer lives with his or her parents, is not a dependent on a parent’s tax return, or is no longer a student. This coverage is Effective for Plan or Policy Years Beginning On or After September 23, 2010. For almost every EIA member, this change in coverage will be effective January 1, 2011.

Copies of the regulations, a fact sheet and other information are available.

Regulations

FAQ Sheet

The newly passed Health Care Reform (HCR) legislation is beginning to change the way employers manage their group health insurance plans. Some new regulations implementing the law have already been passed including guidance about coverage of dependents to age 26 and the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program. As more elements of health care reform are implemented, this blog will bring you updates on current events, access to new regulations, links to helpful sites, access to FAQs and invitations to Webinars to help you understand how the new law will affect you and your employees.