Articles by Girish Anand

August 29, 2013

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IRS Recognizes Same-Sex Spouses for Tax Purposes

The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) today ruled that same-sex couples, legally married in jurisdictions that recognize their marriages, will be treated as married for federal tax purposes. The ruling applies regardless of whether the couple lives in a jurisdiction that recognizes same-sex marriage or a jurisdiction that does not recognize same-sex marria...

August 29, 2013

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HHS Clarifies Definition of Spouse for Nursing Home Care Under Medicare Advantage

Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a memo clarifying that all beneficiaries in private Medicare plans have access to equal coverage when it comes to care in a nursing home where their spouse lives. This is the first guidance issued by HHS in response to the recent Supreme Court ruling, which held section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitution...

August 28, 2013

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IRS Issues Final Regs on Penalties for Not Buying Insurance Under Obamacare

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) yesterday issued final regulations regarding penalties under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for those who fail to maintain "minimum essential coverage." Those who fail to maintain minimum essential health insurance coverage in 2014 will pay a fine of $95 or 1 percent of houshold income, whichever is larger. The fine increases to $325 and 2 perce...

August 28, 2013

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HHS Delays Approval of Health Insurance Plans to Be Sold by ACA Marketplaces

Citing vague references to technical issues ("providing additional flexibility and time to handle technical requests"), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has delayed approval of the health insurance policies to be sold by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplaces beginning Oct. 1. Originally slated for Sept. 5-9, the approval/signing process will now take place ...

August 27, 2013

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DOL Issues Rules for Federal Contractors on the Hiring of Veterans

The Department of Labor (DOL) today announced two final rules to improve hiring and employment of veterans and for people with disabilities. One rule updates requirements under the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974; the other updates those under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For more than 40 years these laws have required federal contractors and ...

August 26, 2013

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ICE Reverses Course on Pre-Filling Form I-9

In May, the Worksite Investigation Enforcement Unit of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency announced that employers should not pre-fill any part of Section 1 of the Form I-9, which is used to verify an applicant's eligibility to legally work in the United States. ICE officials have now reversed course and said there is no official position on employers' prefilling...

August 26, 2013

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DOL to Host Affordable Care Act Webcast Aug. 29

The Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration has announced an upcoming webcast, "The Affordable Care Act: How Will It Affect Me?", scheduled to take place Thursday, Aug. 29 from 1-2 p.m. EDT. EBSA staff will be joined on the webcast by colleagues from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Department of Labor will discuss the impact of ...

August 23, 2013

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Oregon, Now California, Can't Meet Oct. 1 Obamacare E-Deadline

Oregon has already thrown in the electronic towel, and California is nanoseconds behind, as the Oct. 1 opening of the Obamacare Health Insurance Marketplaces looms just six weeks off. It'll be phone calls, in-person visits and pen and paper for Oregonians hoping to use the state's Marketplace to buy health insurance come Oct. 1, as state officials admit they can't get the onli...

August 21, 2013

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Survey Finds Employers Plan to Continue Offering Health Insurance, But...

The Towers Watson 2013 Health Care Changes Ahead Survey, released today, found that some 98% of employers now offering health insurance plan to continue doing so as Obamacare kicks in, at least through 2014 and 2015. However, a majority of these employers also say they anticipate making moderate to significant changes to their health benefits by the beginning of 2016. Most significantly p...

August 20, 2013

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HHS Awards Grants to Health Insurance Marketplace Navigators

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced $67 million in grant awards to 105 Navigator grant applicants in federally facilitated and state partnership Health Insurance Marketplaces. These Navigator grantees and their staff will serve as in-person resources for Americans who want additional assistance in shopping for and enrolling in plans in the Marketplace beg...

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Girish Anand

Recent Articles

Practical articles on HR, Safety, compliance, and people operations—written for real businesses, not legal textbooks.

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Articles by Girish Anand