The Department of Labor, Health and Human Services and the Treasury collectively published new FAQs regarding the requirement to provide a summary of benefits and coverage (SBC) under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) (http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq-aca14.html#footnotes).

The FAQs include an updated SBC template and an updated sample completed SBC (available at cciio.cms.gov and www.dol.gov/ebsa/healthreform).  It is noteworthy that the only change to the sample SBC is the addition of statements regarding whether the plan provides minimum essential coverage (MEC) (as defined in Section 5000A(f) of the Internal Revenue Code) and whether the plan meets the applicable minimum value (MV) requirements (i.e., the plan’s share of total allowed costs of benefits provided under the plan is not less than 60% of such costs).

The FAQs provide that no changes are being made to the uniform glossary or instructions to completing the SBC.

Takeaway: Plan sponsors should not need to spend time “reworking” their SBCs in connection with this new guidance if they were diligent in preparing their SBCs in the first year of applicability.

The FAQs also indicate that if a plan sponsor is already in the process of preparing its SBC for next year and it does not include the MEC and MV information in the SBC, it may provide information regarding whether the plan provides MEC and meets the applicable MV requirements in a cover letter.

Finally, the FAQs confirm that the agencies’ approach to compliance with ACA implementation is to work with employers to encourage compliance rather than to penalize employers who are working in good faith to comply with the ACA.  In connection with that approach, some of the enforcement relief published in earlier FAQs is being extended for an additional year.  This includes enforcement relief in connection with the electronic distribution of SBCs, the imposition of penalties for failing to provide SBCs, the provision of coverage examples, an issuer’s obligation to provide an SBC with respect to benefits it does not insure and enforcement regarding expatriate plans.

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Photo of Monique Warren Monique Warren

Monique Warren is a Principal in the White Plains, New York office of Jackson Lewis P.C. Ms. Warren is a member of the Employee Benefits Counseling, Executive Compensation, Benefits Litigation and Workplace Privacy Practice Group.

Ms. Warren counsels employers on employee benefits compliance…

Monique Warren is a Principal in the White Plains, New York office of Jackson Lewis P.C. Ms. Warren is a member of the Employee Benefits Counseling, Executive Compensation, Benefits Litigation and Workplace Privacy Practice Group.

Ms. Warren counsels employers on employee benefits compliance and administrative matters, drafts plan documents and employee communication materials, and represents employers to government agencies and in employee benefit litigation. Her expertise includes health and welfare plans as well as retirement plans.

Ms. Warren has spoken at numerous client and professional association events including SHRM and WEB meetings. She also has presented numerous seminars on employee benefits compliance topics including benefits basics for human resource professionals, HIPAA privacy and security, 409A requirements, and annual legal updates.

Prior to joining the firm in 2006, Ms. Warren was a member of the employee benefits group of a large Chicago law firm and later maintained her own practice in Illinois, representing employers in employee benefits, employment and employment-related immigration matters. While attending law school, she was an intern in the tax clinic at Loyola University Chicago School of Law and was a judicial extern for the Honorable Blanche Manning, Federal District Court, Northern District of Illinois. As a law student, she received academic honors and was a member of the moot court employment law team.

During the ten years prior to attending law school, Ms. Warren directed human resource functions in manufacturing and research enterprises. She was certified as a Senior Human Resource Professional by SHRM in 1996.

Photo of Melissa Ostrower Melissa Ostrower

Melissa Ostrower is Principal in the New York City office of Jackson Lewis P.C.

Ms. Ostrower advises companies on all aspects of employee benefits law, including compliance with ERISA and the Code as well as administrative matters and fiduciary issues relating to benefit…

Melissa Ostrower is Principal in the New York City office of Jackson Lewis P.C.

Ms. Ostrower advises companies on all aspects of employee benefits law, including compliance with ERISA and the Code as well as administrative matters and fiduciary issues relating to benefit plans.  Ms. Ostrower has extensive experience in executive compensation matters and counsels both public and private companies on executive compensation issues, including Section 409A and 162(m) of the Code.

Ms. Ostrower is also a member of the Jackson Lewis healthcare reform task force and is intimately involved in helping Jackson Lewis clients ensure compliance with recently enacted healthcare reform legislation.

Ms. Ostrower is a graduate of Brandeis University (B.A., M.A.), George Washington University Law School (J.D.) where she was a member of The Law Review, and New York University (LL.M.).