Legislation

Single Payer Update

Gavin Newsom, who is favored to be California's next governor, is cooling expectations about universal health care in California. He recently told the San Francisco Chronicle that a single-payer syste...

California Gears Up to Block Association Health Plans

California is pushing back against the Trump Administration’s final rule allowing Association Health Plans (AHPs). Described as a type of Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement (MEWA), the Administrati...

ACA Gains in Health Coverage Are Beginning to Reverse

by Ken Doyle Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed in 2010, there were marked gains in the number of Americans with health insurance coverage. But those gains are starting to reverse with ...

Bill Would Establish Commission to Control Health Care Prices

Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) introduced a bill that would allow a state-appointed commission to set prices for medical services — AB 3087, the Health Care Price Relief Act. The commission wou...

Cadillac Tax Delayed Until 2022 and HIT Suspended for 2019

Issue Date: January 2018 The short-term funding bill passed by Congress to re-open the government contains two employee benefits–related provisions that are of interest to employers. The bill delays t...

Congress Delays Cadillac Tax and Health Insurance Tax

Earlier this week, Congress voted to pass a bill that would continue to fund the government through February 8, 2018 — H.R. 195. It includes delaying the Cadillac/Excise Tax until 2022 and implementin...

§4980H Offer Requirements and Associated Penalties

Issue Date: December 2017 We are entering another season of employer reporting deadlines, and the first round of letters from the IRS proposing employer shared responsibility payments under §4980H has...

Single Payer Bill Placed on Hold Until Further Notice

Senate Bill 562 has been placed on hold. According to California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, "SB 562 was sent to the Assembly woefully incomplete." Consequently, he's paused the advance of this...