Coffee & Compliance

Excise Tax Penalties: The Forgotten Enforcement Mechanism of the ACA

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 06:01:08 +0000

Nick, Amanda, and Dan discuss excise penalties and how they apply to the various provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

Five Days to Figure Out OTC COVID-19 Test Coverage

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 06:00:13 +0000

Nick, Amanda, and Dan discuss the expansion of the required coverage of COVID-19 tests by group health plans to tests that can be purchased over the counter.

Closing Out 2021 & Getting Ready For 2022

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 06:01:07 +0000

Nick, Amanda, and Dan discuss the different tasks and considerations that plan sponsors need to take care of to close out 2021 cleanly while putting their best foot forward in 2022.

Ramblings About ERISA Preemption

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 06:00:12 +0000

Nick, Amanda, and Dan discuss the exotic topic of ERISA preemption, how it’s played out with state laws in the past, and where it could go in the future.

Have You Noticed How Onerous Notices Can Be?

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 05:01:07 +0000

Nick, Amanda, and Dan discuss the various notice requirements with which employers and plan sponsors have to comply.

Taking a Step Back to Talk About the Look-Back

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 05:00:11 +0000

Nick, Amanda, and Dan discuss the look-back measurement method under the ACA’s employer mandate and all of the fun that comes with using the look-back measurement method.

Amanda, the Six Year Rookie

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 05:01:08 +0000

Amanda and Nick talk about the surprises and the commonplace of being a regulatory and legislative specialist in the health and welfare space.

A Muddle of Transparency Rules

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 05:00:08 +0000

Nick, Ben, and Amanda discuss the mix of transparency rules that employers are dealing with, from the Trump administration’s final transparency rules that are tied to the ACA to the No Surprises Act.

Ben is Given a Platform From Which to Impart His Wisdom

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 05:01:11 +0000

Ben and Nick talk about Ben’s impending retirement and the things that he’s seen over the last three decades.

Scams and Questionable Practices

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 05:00:13 +0000

Ben and Nick talk about some of the common health and welfare benefit scams that they’ve seen as well as certain issues that get into a “gray” area.

Compliance Considerations Surrounding High Cost Claimants

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 05:03:25 +0000

Ben and Nick discuss the often missed, or sometimes ignored, compliance issues that come up when a health plan is dealing with perennial high cost claimants.

The Supreme Court Says the ACA is Here to Stay (Kind Of)

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 05:03:08 +0000

Ben and Nick discuss the recent dismissal by the Supreme Court of a lawsuit that challenged the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.

Mergers and Acquisitions Keep on Rollin’

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 05:01:13 +0000

Ben and Nick discuss all of the fun details that need to be considered during business reorganizations like mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.

Mental Health Benefit Considerations

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 05:01:46 +0000

Ben and Nick discuss the health and welfare rules for mental health benefits.

What’s the Future of Federal and State Paid Leave and Disability Laws?

Mon, 17 May 2021 05:02:07 +0000

Melanie Payton is back to talk with Ben and Nick about state leave and disability laws and where they’re going in the future.

State Leave and Disability Laws Won’t Leave Us Alone

Mon, 17 May 2021 05:01:09 +0000

Ben and Nick have another guest, Melanie Payton from Pacific Resources, on to discuss the expanding and often confusing world of state leave and disability laws.

COBRA Why?

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 05:03:00 +0000

Ben and Nick talk all of the overlapping rules for COBRA in the government’s COVID-19 response.

What Exactly is a §213(d) Medical Expense?

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 05:01:12 +0000

Ben and Nick discuss what medical expenses are eligible for tax free coverage under Code §213(d).

I Just Checked In to See What Status My Status Change Is In

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 05:01:47 +0000

Ben and Nick discuss pre-tax changes under the §125 rules.

LOAs and Their Impact On Benefits

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 05:01:46 +0000

Ben and Nick discuss how protected and unprotected leaves of absence can impact employee benefits as well as some of the hidden pitfalls for employers when they do more than they’re required to.

Much Ado About MEWAs

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 21:23:47 +0000

Ben and Nick discuss what exactly a MEWA (Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement) is, what are the compliance concerns around MEWAs, and how employers often inadvertently create them.

We Have Trust Issues

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 21:23:17 +0000

Ben and Nick discuss the who, what, when, where and why’s of trusts and why plan sponsors need to be aware of the rules surrounding trusts.

Misconstruing Medicare

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 15:49:34 +0000

Gina Schreiber is back to talk to Ben and Nick about Medicare. This time, they talk about Medicare from the individual’s perspective and touch on some of the common Medicare misconceptions that they see on a regular basis.

Medicare is the Secondary Payer. Usually.

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 15:39:26 +0000

Ben and Nick have their first guest, Gina Schreiber from The Advocator Group, on to discuss the Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) Rules and how they can trip up plan sponsors.

The Joys of Forms 1094-C and 1095-C

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 15:08:41 +0000

Ben and Nick discuss one of their “favorite” annual topics: reporting under Code §§ 6056 and 6055 using Forms 1094-C and 1095-C.

Those Funky HSAs

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 14:51:39 +0000

Ben and Nick discuss the tricky nuances with HSAs and how those nuances can throw HR departments, and HSA account holders, for a loop.

Health and Welfare Plan Nondiscrimination Under the Tax Code

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 21:07:48 +0000

Ben and Nick discuss what is considered to be discriminatory under the tax code, who is in the "prohibited" class, and plan design options to help with discrimination issues.

Getting Hip About HIPAA

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 21:01:20 +0000

Ben and Nick discuss protected health information and common mistakes when classifying information as well as administrative requirements under HIPAA.

Wellness Plans and Their Moving Pieces

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 21:29:54 +0000

Ben and Nick discuss the current regulatory state around wellness plans, provide a slight update, and talk about the moving compliance pieces that employers need to take into consideration.

ERISA Myths and Misconceptions

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 21:55:08 +0000

Ben and Nick discuss the many common mistakes and misunderstandings that plan sponsors have about ERISA, such as what actually constitutes an Summary Plan Description and who has to get it.

Plan Change Burnout

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 15:30:58 +0000

Ben and Nick discuss what Plan Change Burnout is, what plan terms require immediate attention, and the risks of not staying on top of plan amendments for plan terms.

The Supreme Court's Bostock Decision

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 14:27:54 +0000

Ben and Nick discuss the Supreme Court's decision in Bostock v. Clayton County that held that Title VII of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 protects gay and transgender workers from workplace discrimination.

Slacking for the Holidays

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 06:00:06 +0000

Happy holidays from Coffee & Compliance! We'll be back in the new year with new episodes and new topics.