Midweek Update

David Ermer–AHRQ, COVID-19, HSA–

Yesterday, the Internal Revenue Service created in view of the COVID-19 emergency new flexibilities for flexible spending account (FSA) holders, health savings account (“HSA”holders and cafeteria plan members by

  • extending claims periods for taxpayers to apply unused amounts remaining in a health FSA or dependent care assistance program for expenses incurred for those same qualified benefits through December 31, 2020.
  • expanding the ability of taxpayers to make mid-year elections for health coverage, health FSAs, and dependent care assistance programs, allowing them to respond to changes in needs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • applying earlier relief for high deductible health plans to cover expenses related to COVID-19, and a temporary exemption for telehealth services retroactively to The notice increases the limit for unused health FSA carryover amounts from $500, to a maximum of $550, as adjusted annually for inflation.January 1, 2020.

The IRS also increased “the limit for unused health FSA carryover amounts from $500, to a maximum of $550, as adjusted annually for inflation.”

The Board of Directors of America’s Health Insurance Plans issued a statement on “Safely Re-Opening America’s Health Care System and Resuming Needed Procedures and Treatments, Routine Care, and Preventive Services” in the wake of the COVID-19 emergency. The statement encourages continued use of telehealth and sensible applic ation / waivers of health plan prior authorization requirements.

HHS’s Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has created its own COVID-19 resources webpage. Among other things the site “provides links to research funding opportunities, AHRQ Views blog posts about the Agency’s COVID-19 activities, and examples of new AHRQ-funded research findings.”

Benefits Pro reports that “A Social Security policy analyst for the advocacy group The Senior Citizens League is estimating the cost-of-living adjustment for 2021 will be zero based on consumer price index data through April and the continued impact of COVID-19 on the economy.” A zero COLA, which occurred in 2009, 2010, and 2015, will trigger the protection of Medicare Part B premium hold harmless clause for certain but not all federal annuitants.