Megan Mardy
Subscribe to Megan Mardy's PostsMegan Mardy advises companies on a wide variety of health and welfare and retirement benefits issues. She has extensive experience with the Affordable Care Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), the Internal Revenue Code and other federal laws affecting group health and retirement plans. Read Megan Mardy's full bio.
A Momentary Victory for the ACA: Federal Judge Issues a Nationwide Injunction against Trump Administration’s Contraceptive Coverage Carve Outs
By Jacob Mattinson and Megan Mardy on Jan 24, 2019
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
On January 14, 2019, US District Judge Wendy Beetlestone in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania issued a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration’s carveouts to the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) contraceptive coverage mandate. One day prior, US District Judge Haywood Gilliam in the US District Court for the Northern...
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Death By A Thousand Cuts–Will the ACA Survive?
By Megan Mardy and McDermott Will & Emery on Dec 17, 2018
Posted In Benefit Controversies, Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
Late in the afternoon on Friday, December 14, Federal US District Judge Reed O’Connor struck down the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in its entirety, a feat that was, for the past few years, unsuccessfully attempted by the Republican-led Congress. O’Connor reasoned that if the individual mandate is no longer valid, the entire ACA must also...
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7 Tips to Avoid Compliance Missteps During Open Enrollment
By Jacob Mattinson and Megan Mardy on Nov 6, 2018
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans, Privacy and Data Security
One of the busiest times of year for an employee benefits professional is open enrollment. It is a crucial and yet stressful time of year that typically results in numerous employee questions and complaints and is a time of year with high potential for both employer and employee mistakes. Despite the stress and potential for...
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Paving the Way for More HRAs
By Jacob Mattinson and Megan Mardy on Nov 1, 2018
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
President Trump signed an executive order last year directing the Secretaries of Labor, Treasury and Health and Human Services to consider proposing regulations to “increase the usability of HRAs.” This month, the collective departments issued proposed regulations containing changes to the prohibition on pairing HRAs with individual health policies, as well as other changes to...
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Medicare Part D Creditable Coverage Notices due before October 15, 2018
By Megan Mardy on Oct 4, 2018
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 requires employers who offer prescription drug coverage to provide an annual notice to all Medicare Part D eligible individuals who are participants in, or eligible for, the employer’s prescription drug coverage indicating whether such coverage is creditable before October 15th of each year. “Creditable coverage” means that the prescription...
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All Together Now: DOL Finalizes Rule for Association Health Plans
By Jacob Mattinson and Megan Mardy on Jun 26, 2018
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
The US Department of Labor published a final rule that makes it easier for a group or association of employers to act as a single “employer” sponsor of an Association Health Plan under ERISA. By creating an opportunity for small employers and self-employed individuals to take advantage of the economies of scale that are usually...
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IRS Announces Limits for Health Savings Accounts and High-Deductible Health Plans for 2019
By Jacob Mattinson, Megan Mardy and McDermott Will & Emery on May 17, 2018
Posted In Employee Benefits, Employment, Fiduciary and Investment Issues, Health and Welfare Plans
On May 10, 2018, the IRS announced cost-of-living adjustments to the applicable dollar limits for health savings accounts and high-deductible health plans for 2019. Many of the limits will change for 2019. Access the full article.
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IRS Announces HSA Contribution Limit Increase for 2018
By Jacob Mattinson, Megan Mardy and McDermott Will & Emery on May 1, 2018
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
On April 26, 2018, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) increased the 2018 maximum deductible Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution for taxpayers with family coverage under a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) to $6,900. The $6,900 contribution limit for 2018 was originally published in Revenue Procedure 2017-37, but was reduced earlier this year by $50 to...
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Are Your Executive Compensation Arrangements Safe from the New Disability Regulations?
By Megan Mardy and Mary K. Samsa on Feb 13, 2018
Posted In Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation
Beginning April 1, 2018, new disability claim regulations may apply to some executive compensation arrangements. Given this pending regulatory deadline, employers need to analyze which of their executive compensation arrangements may be subject to the enhanced requirements for disability claims review. Continue Reading.
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Final Rule on Disability Claims under Welfare and Retirement Plans Effective April 1
By Megan Mardy on Feb 1, 2018
Posted In Employee Benefits, Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), Health and Welfare Plans, Retirement Plans
After some speculation about a delay in implementation of the final rules on claims adjudication of disability claims under welfare and retirement plans (the Final Rule), the US Department of Labor (DOL) confirmed that the Final Rule will be applicable beginning April 1, 2018. McDermott’s article detailing the new requirements in the Final Rule can be...
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