Alera Group News

This alert was last updated on May 12, 2021.  Dowload this alert. Employers that sponsor group health plans have many regulations to consider in their plan design choices, including nondiscrimination regulations. One of the newest sources of nondiscrimination rules is Section 1557 of the... Find out more »

This alert was last updated on May 12, 2021.  Download this alert. All group health plan sponsors of both fully-insured and self-funded plans must consider the requirements of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The... Find out more »

In Rev. Proc. 2021-25, the IRS released the inflation adjusted amounts for 2022 relevant to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and high deductible health plans (HDHPs). The table below summarizes those adjustments and other applicable limits.     2022... Find out more »

Alera Group, a top independent, national insurance and wealth management firm, has appointed Whitney Floyd as Vice President of Sales, Northeast. Reporting to Vice President of Sales Development, Jim Wochele, Floyd will lead all sales initiatives in the Northeast region working directly with twelve... Find out more »

As part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), employers now have some work to do as it pertains to COBRA and the new subsidies under the ARPA. ARPA created a COBRA subsidy from April 1 of 2021 to September 30 of 2021, paid by the employer or carrier, for 100% of the COBRA premium for... Find out more »

On April 7, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released a link to its webpage dedicated to the COBRA premium assistance authorized under the American Rescue Plan Act, 2021 (ARPA), the third COVID-19 stimulus bill.  The webpage includes model notices, frequently asked questions, and... Find out more »

The United States Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) enables qualified beneficiaries who lose health benefits due to a qualifying event to continue group health benefits. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) provides for a 100% COBRA premium subsidy for... Find out more »

Congress has passed, and President Biden has signed, the American Rescue Plan Act, 2021 (ARPA), the third COVID-19 stimulus bill.  This new $1.9 trillion stimulus package includes several health and welfare benefits-related provisions relevant to employers and plan sponsors, as summarized... Find out more »

IRS Provides Guidance on FSA Relief Authorized in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, Grants Other Cafeteria Plan Relief We are just weeks shy of the one-year anniversary of the President’s declaration of the COVID-19 National Emergency, and the COVID-19 National and Public Health... Find out more »

The Department of Labor (DOL) has released Notice 2021-01, which clarifies the end date for the relief provided in April 2020 under Notice 2020-01. Per the latest guidance, individuals (and plans) are granted relief based on their own fact-specific timeframes and, therefore, may still take... Find out more »