ECFC appreciates Administration for proposing rules to expand use of HRAs by employers

ECFC, the leading nonprofit organization promoting choice in benefit solutions, applauds the proposed regulations from the U.S. Departments of the Treasury, Health and Human Services, and Labor regarding expanding the use of health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) by employers.

The DOL, Treasury Department, and the HHS have reviewed the previous requirements regarding HRAs and have issued proposed regulations which will provide additional opportunities for employers to offer HRAs to their employees.

"ECFC appreciates the efforts of the Administration for proposing regulations that would expand the opportunities for employers to offer HRAs to their employees," said ECFC Executive Director Martin Trussell. "This is a positive step for employers and American workers. ECFC will continue to review the proposed regulations and look forward to providing additional comments to the Administration."

The proposed rules would generally retain the current types of permitted HRAs (integrated HRAs, HRAs restricted to excepted benefits, and retiree-only HRAs) and also allow two new types of HRAs:

• An individual health insurance premium reimbursement HRA (provided that certain requirements related to nondiscrimination, notice, no other group health plan coverage, etc.) are satisfied.
• An excepted benefit HRA that generally allows up to $1,800 per year (plus carryover amounts) in reimbursement for medical expenses (OTHER than health insurance premiums) provided that employees are offered coverage under another group health plan sponsored by the employer.

Source: https://ecfc.org/news/424436/ECFC-Applauds-Proposed-Regulations-to-Expand-the-Use-of-Health-Reimbursement-Arrangements-.htm