Health Reimbursement Arrangements

Posted April 23rd, 2021 in Employers, Producers

Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) can be a great way for employers to control their benefits budgets without sacrificing quality of coverage for their employees. There are several different types of HRAs available in the market, but perhaps the most popular is the Integrated HRA. These HRAs work alongside a group health plan to reimburse employees for out-of-pocket expenses. Only those employees enrolled in the group health plan can participate in the HRA.

Posted July 30th, 2020 in Employers, Producers

Do you remember the days when employers could change from a $500 deductible plan to a $5,000 deductible plan and save 40-50% on insurance premiums? Then those same employers would offer a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) to cover most or all the deductible increase for employees who have chronic conditions or who experience unexpected medical events. The net result provided employers with significant savings while providing employees with substantially similar benefits. Those days still exist.

Posted June 16th, 2020 in Employers, Producers

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently proposed rules that would expand the definition of medical expenses allowed under Section 213(d) of the Internal Revenue Code (“Code”). This part of the Code is what helps guide the types expenses that can be reimbursed through a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA), Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA).

Posted July 18th, 2019 in Producers

Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) have been on a roller coaster the past five years. Some laws and regulations have limited the types of HRAs that an employer can offer whereas other laws and regulations have created new HRA options for employers to offer. Below is a summary of the types of HRAs employers can offer to employees.

As a result of regulations supplementing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), employers were limited to offering 3 types of HRAs.

Posted June 14th, 2019 in Producers, Employers, Individuals

The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and the Treasury (collectively, the Departments) released new guidance on June 13, 2019 which permit a new type of Health Reimbursement Arrangement, referred to as an Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA).

Posted August 14th, 2018 in Employers, Producers

Flexible Benefit Service LLC (Flex) offers debit cards as a reimbursement option with several different Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) plan designs.

Posted October 23rd, 2017 in Producers, Employers, Individuals

IRS Revenue Procedure 2017-58 was released last week. It includes a number of inflation adjustments to various benefits and other items for 2018 including the following for Consumer-Driven Accounts:

Posted December 13th, 2016 in Producers, Employers

Flexible Benefit Service LLC (Flex) is excited to tell you about the 21st Century Cures Act which was signed into law by President Obama on December 13, 2016. While the law primarily focuses on healthcare innovations and enhancing medical research, it also created a new type of Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA), referred to as a "Qualified Small Employer HRA."

Posted December 5th, 2016 in Producers, Employers
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a bill that is being referred to as the 21st Century Cures Act. The bill is expected to be taken up by the Senate this week, and the belief is the Senate will pass it as well. If passed by the Senate, it appears President Obama would sign the bill into law. 
 
Posted September 13th, 2016 in Producers, Employers
Today, September 13, 2016,  marks the three-year anniversary of the release date for IRS Notice 2013-54, which ironically occurred on Friday the 13th. A few years back, benefits industry leaders thought employers could be deterred from adopting Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) since much of the guidance made changes to the types of HRAs that could be offered. Below is a snapshot of the (now) permissible types of HRAs.

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