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The IRS issued On December 22, 2010 a Notice http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-11-01.pdf which states compliance with the non-discrimination provisions of the Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) are suspended for insured group health benefit plans….for now.

Under the original health care reform law, non-grandfathered, fully insured health plans would have required companies to meet the non-discrimination rules of IRC 105(h). This provision of the law is effective for plan years beginning on or after September 23, 2010. Therefore, if your company’s health plan renews on January 1, 2011 and it is non-grandfathered, your plan is subject to these rules on January 1, 2011.

The anti-discriminatory provisions were enacted primarily to prohibit highly-compensated employees (such as company owners and senior management) from receiving health benefits that are materially better than the “rank and file” employees. As contemplated in the health care reform measure, failure to comply with the anti-discriminatory rules could result in the payment of penalties to the IRS.

Affected plans must satisfy two tests; eligibility test, and benefits test. The tests determine whether or not the plan disproportionately benefits highly compensated individuals (HCI).  Please contact us for further information on these tests.

According to the notice, the decision to delay the effective date was because:

Regulatory guidance is essential to the operation of the statutory provisions, the Treasury Department and the IRS, as well as the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services (collectively, the Departments), have determined that compliance with § 2716 should not be required (and thus, any sanctions for failure to comply do not apply) until after regulations or other administrative guidance of general applicability has been issued under § 2716.

There has been no indication of the length of the delayed implementation, other than the provision would become effective after further rules were promulgated.

The employer is responsible for monitoring non-discrimination compliance. If the plan is deemed discriminatory, fines could be assessed at $100 per day per individual discriminated against. If reasonable cause exists (the employer can show good faith belief that the plan was not discriminatory), the penalty can be capped at the lesser of 10% of group health plan costs or $500,000.

Importantly, this doesn’t apply to “grandfathered plans“. Employers of non-grandfathered, fully insured plans should review their contribution structures and benefit designs to ensure that plans are not favoring highly compensated employees.

Further information can be found at http://www.irs.gov/irb/2010-41_IRB/ar07.html .  Please contact our office for further guidance on your group’s plan.

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