Amwins Connect provides insightful articles that cover various topics as resources to brokers and agencies of all sizes within the Group Benefits industry. As a General Agency, Amwins Connect is always working hard to provide product knowledge and relevant health insurance information. This recap includes topics ranging from at-home covid test reimbursement, satisfaction with HDHPs going up, employee benefits communications that resonate, a surprising shift in benefits plans, and more.
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December 2021
Private Insurers to Cover At-Home COVID Tests
The administration will soon mandate that insurers reimburse Americans for purchasing at-home tests. Three federal departments will issue guidance on January 15, 2022. People who buy the tests will be able to seek reimbursement from their group health plan or health insurer during the public-health emergency.
Satisfaction with HDHPs Goes Up Over Time
Fifty-four percent of enrollees are very or extremely satisfied with their high deductible health plan (HDHP) after three years or more on the plan compared to 30% in the plan less than a year, according to a study by the Employee Benefits Research Institute and Greenwald Research.
Benefit Communications That Resonate
Employers often worry that employees don’t pay attention to their employee benefits communications. A survey published by the Business Group on Health reveals what resonates with employees:
A Surprising Shift in Benefit Plans
There’s been an unexpected reversal in cost-sharing trends with health plans, according to a survey by Mercer. Sixty percent of employers say they won’t make plan changes to reduce expected health care cost increases. Instead of shifting costs to workers, employers are focusing on making health care more affordable for their workers, improving access to mental health care, and offering competitive benefits in a tight labor market.
IRS Announces 2022 Limits for HSAs and HDHPs
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced (See Revenue Procedure 2021-25) cost-of-living adjustments to the applicable dollar limits for health savings accounts (HSAs), high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) and excepted benefit health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) for 2022. Many of the dollar limits currently in effect for 2021 will change for 2022. The HSA catch-up contribution for individuals ages 55 and older will not change as it is not subject to cost-of-living adjustments.
IRS Proposes Automatic Extension For Furnishing 1095-C Forms
On November 22, the IRS issued proposed rules that would permanently provide an automatic extension for furnishing Forms 1095-C and 1095-B to individuals, from January 31 to March 2. The Proposed Rule allows ALEs to voluntarily adopt this extension for calendar years beginning after December 31, 2020, which would mean that this would apply to calendar year 2021 Form 1095-C. It's important to note that this does not change the due dates for filing these forms with the IRS.
Guidance for CAA Drug Cost Reporting Requirements
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department of the Treasury (the Departments) have released an interim final rule (IFC) addressing drug cost reporting requirements contained in the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA).
