Final Regulations on Excise Taxes for Group Health Plans

Group health plans are responsible for compliance with a number of federal laws governing issues such as continuation coverage and portability of health coverage. If a group health plan does not comply with applicable group health plan requirements, the employer maintaining the plan is subject to an excise tax. Employers are also subject to an excise tax if they do not satisfy comparable contribution rules for health savings accounts (“HSAs”) and Archer medical savings accounts (“MSAs”). The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued final regulations on reporting and paying the applicable excise tax, which are effective January 1, 2010.