Aiken & Aiken

Sheila Aiken June 5th, 2008

On June 4, 2008, the IRS released Notices 2008-51 and 2008-52, which provide guidance for HSAs.  Generally, Notice 2008-51 applies to the treatment of qualified HSA funding distributions and Notice 2008-52 applies to contributions to HSAs.  Each Notice is discussed in further detail below.

Notice 2008-51

Notice 2008-51 provides guidance on a qualified HSA funding distribution from an IRA or Roth IRA to a HSA, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2006.  The notice states that the qualified HSA funding distribution is a one-time transfer from an individual’s IRA or Roth IRA to that individual’s HSA.  Generally, it is excluded from gross income and not subject to the 10% additional tax for early distributions.  The IRA distribution is counted against the maximum annual HSA contribution for the taxable year of the distribution and is subject to the §408(d)(9)(D) testing period rules.  Distributions from both traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs are allowed, however, distributions from “ongoing” SEP or SIMPLE IRAs do not qualify.

The qualified HSA funding distribution must be less than or equal to the maximum annual HSA contribution, based on the individual’s age as of the end of the taxable year and the type of high deductible health plan (HDHP) coverage at the time of distribution.  Only one IRA distribution for contribution to a HSA is permitted during an individual’s lifetime, with one exception.  If the IRA distribution occurs when the individual has self-only HDHP coverage and later in the same taxable year the individual has family HDHP coverage, a second qualified distribution is allowed in that taxable year.  The normal HSA contribution rules do not apply to qualified funding distributions.  A qualified HSA funding distribution relates to the taxable year in which it is actually made, and it must be a direct transfer from an IRA to a HSA. 

The amount of the qualified HSA funding distribution is excluded from gross income and the 10% penalty tax does not apply provided the individual remains eligible during the entire testing period.  The testing period starts with the month the contribution is made to the HSA and ends on the last day of the 12^th month following the start month.  If an individual ceases to be eligible, the qualified distribution is included in gross income in the taxable year in which the individual first fails to be eligible, and the 10% additional tax applies unless the failure is due to death or disability. 

If a distribution from a HSA is not used for qualified medical expenses, that amount is included in income and subject to the 10% additional tax, regardless of whether the contribution includes the qualified HSA funding distribution.

Notice 2008-52

Notice 2008-52 provides guidance on the annual contribution limit to HSAs, effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2006.  This notice provides that an individual who is an eligible individual on the first day of the last month of the taxable year (December 1 for calendar year) as having been an eligible individual for the entire year and therefore may make a full contribution for the year.  However, a testing period does apply to this full contribution rule.

The testing period starts with the month the contribution is made to the HSA and ends on the last day of the 12^th month following the start month.  If an individual ceases to be an eligible individual during the testing period, a portion of the contributions will be included in gross income and subject to the additional 10% tax.  This includable amount is the amount of the contributions attributable to months preceding the month in which the individual was not an eligible individual (which could have not have been made but for the provision).  It is includible for the taxable year of the first day of the testing period that the individual was not eligible.  However, an exception applies if the individual ceases to be eligible due to death or disability.

Those that wish to take advantage of these new rules, should ensure they have a thorough understanding of the requirements.  Both IRS Notices contain examples which illustrate the rules provided in the notices.  For additional information on how this new HSA guidance could impact your plans, please contact our office.

• Benefits , Health Care , Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
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Sheila Aiken June 2nd, 2008

Late last month (May 20^th and May 22^nd), the House and the Senate, respectively, unanimously approved the Heros Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008 (H.R. 6081).  The bill is now pending President Bush’s signature to enact it as law.  President Bush is expected to sign it.

H.R. 6081, among its many provisions, includes changes to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, that may impact certain employee benefits plans.  The provisions of H.R. 6081 are effective at differing dates and include provisions that:

• Amend existing rules governing cafeteria plans to allow Health Flexible Spending Accounts to distribute account balances to reservists who are called for active duty for indefinite periods or 180 days or more
• Require qualified retirement plans to provide additional benefits that would have been provided to the participant had he/she resumed employment prior to death to the survivors of plan participants who die during qualified military service
• Allow employers to make contributions to qualified retirement plans on behalf of participants who die or become disabled in combat
• Allow employers to treat the day prior to the day of the participant’s death or disability as the day the participant returned to work from military duty so as to provide the retroactive benefit accruals available under USERRA
• Require qualified plans to treat differential military pay as compensation for plan purposes and as wages subject to withholding
• Provide a tax credit under certain circumstances for small employers that provide differential military pay
• Authorize qualified plans to treat participants on active duty for greater than 30 days as terminated in order to access distribution from a qualified retirement plan
• Make the PPA waiver of the 10% penalty tax for early retirement distributions permanent

As mentioned above, it is expected that President Bush will sign the legislation and it will therefore become law.  Employers should make plans to begin reviewing their plans for areas that need amending to comply with the required provisions.  Additionally, employers should review the non-mandatory provisions to determine whether they wish to amend their plans to allow for these provisions. 

During the plan review, employers need to keep in mind the differing effective and/or application dates of the provisions.  Benefits counsel can assist employers with the review and amendment of plan documents to ensure that plans are updated appropriately.

• Benefits , Health Care , Pension , Retirement
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Michele Aiken May 29th, 2008

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act was enacted in 1974.  Since then, more than 75 laws have been passed that affect employee benefit plans and the protections afforded them by ERISA.  Many of these subsequent laws have mandated extensive changes to benefit plans.

The following are some of the major laws passed along with a very brief description of a few of the provisions contained within the statute:

• National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) - amends the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to create 2 new FMLA leave entitlements and modifies some Department of Defense contracting requirements.
• Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA) -  makes several modifications to retirement plans including funding requirements for defined benefit plans, authorizing the use of cash balance and hybrid pension plans and requiring more disclosure to plan participants.
• American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 (AJCA) - provides significant new rules for non-qualified deferred compensation plans, including the enactment of Internal Revenue Code Section 409A.
• Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) - expands the Medicare program including prescription drug coverage for post-65 and disabled Medicare beneficiaries and provides for a Medicare subsidy, which is excludable from income, payable to employers who provide retiree health coverage that is at least actuarially equivalent to the Medicare drug benefit.
• Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA) - provides significant changes to retirement plans including increasing the allowable participant elective deferrals, allowing “catch-up” contributions, increasing compensation limits for some pension plans and changing the definition of compensation for deduction purposes.
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) -  limits restrictions that a health plan can place on benefits for preexisting conditions, defines numerous offenses relating to health care and sets civil and criminal penalties for them and establishes regulations for the use and disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI).
• Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990 (OWBPA) - allows retirement plans to continue to have minimum age for eligibility and to have subsidized early retirement benefits provided it is voluntary.
• Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 (COBRA) -  requires specified employers to offer continuation of group health plan coverage to beneficiaries who no longer qualify for coverage due to certain events.
• Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 (PDA) - requires employers to cover costs of pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions under the same terms as other medical conditions.

The above information is just a small portion of what is required by these laws as applied to benefit plans.  Additionally, there are many more laws that impact employee benefits plans then those few described above.  For example, the PPA, in addition to the brief overview already provided, requires additional extensive compliance for retirement plans and makes some of the other changes under previous laws mandatory.

Benefit plans and operational policies and procedures that have not remained current with new requirements are at risk for being non-compliant and subject to fines and penalties.  All employers should review their ERISA plans, including retirement and heath and welfare plans, as well as their operational policies and procedures, to verify that their plans, policies and procedures have been updated and amended for all applicable changes in the law.

Once plans, policies and procedures are current, employers need to remain vigilant to ensure continued compliance with changing laws.  Employment and benefits counsel can assist employers in reviewing and updating their existing plans to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, as well as assisting employers to proactively update their policies, plans and procedures as required for future changes.

• Benefits , COBRA , ERISA , Health Care , Pension , Retirement
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Sheila Aiken May 28th, 2008

President Bush signed the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of 2008 on May 21^st.  GINA is designed to protect against discrimination in health insurance and employment based on genetic information.

This new law makes changes to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA), the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) and the Internal Revenue Code (Code).  The provisions relating to health plans are effective as of May 8, 2009 and those relating to employment are effective November 8, 2009.  Additionally, the law provides that where states have more restrictive protection in place, the state law will continue to apply and employers will need to comply with the state law in addition to GINA.

This law prohibits health plan sponsors and health insurers from restricting enrollment or adjusting premiums based on genetic information.  It also restricts them from requesting or requiring genetic testing.  There are a few limited exceptions to these requirements and genetic information may be used by health plans for payment determinations.  However, the information must be handled in the same manner that other HIPAA-protected information is handled. 

Additionally under GINA, federal anti-discrimination laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (Title VII) and the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) are broadened.  Employers are prohibited from discriminating based on genetic information.  This includes discriminating in hiring, training and retraining, compensation and/or other terms and conditions or employment.  Employers may not segregate or classify employees based on genetic information in any manner that would deprive them of employment opportunities and they may not request, require or purchase genetic information.  Further, employers are prohibited from disclosing personal genetic information.

Under the new law, genetic information includes an individual’s or family member’s genetic tests, diseases and disorders and any request for or receipt of genetic services.   This includes genetic test results and participation in genetic research as well as the manifestation of a particular disease or disorder.  It does not include information such as a person’s gender or age.  However, there are some limited circumstances under which an employer may acquire genetic information. 

The Department of Labor (DOL) has been tasked with issuing final regulations on the health insurance provisions by May 21, 2009.  Additionally, the DOL will enforce the new law and has the authority to assess penalties.

Civil penalties of up to $100 per day per individual for violations may be imposed.  Additionally, if violations are not corrected, a minimum penalty of $2,500 for de minimis violations or $15,000 for material violations may be imposed.  There is a cap on penalties of the lesser of 10% of the amount paid by the plan sponsor during the preceding taxable year or $500,000.  However, under certain circumstances the DOL may waive penalties.

Employers, health plan sponsors and insurers will need to become familiar with the new requirements under the law.  They will need to ensure their practices are compliant with the new requirements and make certain that any genetic information they have about employees is treated with strict confidentiality, as required.  Employers should seek the advice of their benefits counsel to fully understand the law and its impact on their current and future practices and procedures.

• ADA , Benefits , ERISA , Employment , HIPAA , Health Care , Title VII
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Sheila Aiken May 21st, 2008

The IRS released Revenue Procedure 2008-29 on May 13^th.  This Revenue Procedure details the 2009 inflation adjusted amounts allowed for Health Savings Accounts under Internal Revenue (Code) Section 223(g).  

For calendar year 2009, the annual limitation on deductions is:

• $3,000 for self-only coverage, or
• $5,950 for family coverage

HSAs are used in conjunction with High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) which are defined under Code Section 223(c)(2)(A).  For the 2009 calendar year, a HDHP is defined as a health plan with:

• An annual deductible that is not less than:
  • $1,150 for self-only coverage, or
  • $2,300 for family coverage, and
• Annual out-of-pocket expenses (including deductibles, co-payments and other amounts not including premiums) that do not exceed:
  • $5,800 for self-only coverage, or
  • $11,600 for family coverage

Additionally, the catch-up contribution for those individuals over age 55 is $1,000.  If both spouses are over 55 the catch-up contribution is $2,000.

HSAs have become increasingly popular for individuals and employers as a way to plan for and control healthcare costs.  The numbers of individuals covered under these health plans - High Deductible Health Plans with Health Reimbursement Arrangements - has rapidly increased.  The Government Accountability Office in Washington estimates that 4.5 million people were covered under HSAs in 2007 as opposed to an estimate of a little over 400,000 in 2004. 

• Benefits , ERISA , Health Care , Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
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