We have some great news to share. We’re super excited to announce the addition of Deborah Meek as our new Director of Business Development. Deb is a long time industry veteran and sales leader and we're very pleased to have her on our team! Her responsibilities will include developing strategic ways of helping ABG clients maximize their CDH strategy through the company’s service offerings, as well as introducing new employers to ABG’s highly differentiated service and technology offerings.

Deb is a seasoned marketing professional with over 20 years of experience in the CDH and TPA industry. Before joining ABG, Deb served as senior sales consultant with leading organizations such as UMR, Chard Snyder and Infinisource. Deb is going to be dedicated to working with the NFP Cleveland team as well as our Central region offices. She and I will be tag teaming together as she integrates into everything ABG/NFP. We’d love to reach out to the whole team shortly to give Deb a proper NFP introduction!

The rapid adoption of consumer-directed health plans and accounts is a megatrend. In 2021 over 80 percent of U.S. employers offer a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a pre-tax consumer spending account or an HSA. According to Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), the average industry-wide Health Savings Account (HSA) balance is about $2,100, while an average couple will require more than $285,000 in savings at retirement age to cover their likely out-of-pocket healthcare costs. Moreover, only 30 percent of health savings account holders fall in the ‘saver’ category, carrying account balances from year to year. These statistics highlight the need for better education, tools, and resources to help consumers better manage the financial responsibility for their current and future healthcare costs.

High-Deductible Health Plans(HDHP)seek to engage employees to become better healthcare consumers. However, inefficiencies and a lack of cost transparency in the fragmented U.S. healthcare market have been a historical impediment in the adoption of a true consumer-directed healthcare model. Empowering consumers requires a coordinated strategy with the integration of on-demand access to resources and tools that deliver cost transparency, provider costs, and quality data, modeling projections to predict future medical costs, and actionable strategies for building tax-advantaged healthcare savings. American Benefits Group (ABG) is dedicated to transforming how people navigate their healthcare by guiding them to the right coverage, care, and savings strategies. A leading national third-party administrator of pre-tax consumer reimbursement account-based benefits, ABG administers Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs), and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to Commuter Parking and Transit Accounts as well as COBRA and Direct Premium Billing Administration Services.

Founded in 1988 in Northampton, MA, ABG was one of the nations’ first flexible benefits administrators. Today the company delivers a next-generation CDHC account management solution to more than 2000 employers nationwide. The hallmark and unique value proposition of ABG is its ability to execute innovative on-demand benefits administration solutions that blend empowering technology combined with exceptional service delivery that maximizes value and efficiency. An industry innovator and disruptor, the company has a passionate vision to transform how people navigate their healthcare spending and saving decisions with powerful tools that engage them to become savvier and more informed healthcare consumers. ABG founder and CEO Bob Cummings is driving the evolution and transformation to Healthcare Consumerism version 2.0. “While there has been some progress in the way consumers are managing healthcare spending and saving decisions, there is still a long way to go before the goals of integrated and empowered healthcare consumerism are fully realized. What differentiates ABG in the market is our ability to deliver both next-generation, disruptive technology solutions combined with a robust and highly responsive level of client support and participant experience,” he asserts.

Taking the Guesswork out of Employee Spending and Saving Decisions

The ABG Smart Account is leading this transformation with next-generation applications that deliver a personalized, real-time, and self-guided experience with healthcare decision support tools. Smart Account provides consumers on-demand access to powerful self-service capabilities, such as viewing and managing their benefit accounts, submitting claims, and accessing account alerts. But it also uses AI technology to create actionable insights and recommendations that guide participants to be actively engaged with how they are managing their healthcare. Smart Account employs innovative and cutting‐edge technology that personalizes the employee experience and provides data-driven tools, including a personalized Healthcare IQ success measurement known as the ‘Smart Score.’ As the account participant interacts with the identified opportunities and actionable insights, their Smart Score rises; it’s a guided tour to make informed decisions on how to best spend and save their healthcare dollars. By leveraging the prowess of AI, Smart Account also provides recommendations based on historical spending data of the consumer to enable better future outcomes.

Intelligent cost and quality insights enable employees to review estimated costs of procedures and find providers. A “find care” feature allows the consumer to readily identify and compare highquality, low-cost, in-network care options based on patient satisfaction scores, provider cost, and quality ratings. A virtual medicine cabinet provides users with recommendations to save on prescription medications and manage monthly drug costs. Real-time transparency tools like the GoodBuy RX card provide instant access to all prescription providers and actual retail costs.

Smart Account also shows the median pricing for major medical procedures in their plan and location and models projected out-of-pocket costs. The app also provides a projection of future costs to manage more than 20 chronic conditions with recommendations to help close the gap on HSA savings needed to manage a lifetime of healthcare expenses. ABG Smart Account is the toolkit that consumers need to drive successful outcomes in all of their healthcare spending and savings decisions.

“Consumerism starts with the power to navigate. ABG Smart Account removes complexity and simplifies decision-making by connecting health and wealth resources in one intuitive, easy-to-navigate experience. At ABG we’re transforming how consumers manage their healthcare journey, and at the same time we’re bending the cost curve on healthcare for employers,” Cummings notes. ABG is strongly supported by its long-term technology platform partner, Alegeus. As the market leader in healthcare and benefit payment systems, Alegeus provides ABG best-in-class smart debit card payment technology, sophisticated claims payment, and banking systems, consumer portals, leading consumer engagement tools, and the innovative Smart Account mobile management application. For the last three consecutive years, ABS has been recognized as the leading Alegeus client for operational service, efficiency, and excellence.

The Institute for Healthcare Consumerism also has recognized ABG with an Innovation Superstar award for its live-streaming participant feedback review portal. When participants engage with ABG client support advocates, they are invited to rate their interaction experience and leave a review. An interactive tool to measure service delivery and participant satisfaction, the feedback portal has garnered over 7,000 (and counting) five-star participant reviews to date, and enables a permission to share five-star reviews on public review sites, such as Google and Yelp. These public and private reviews validate ABG’s excellence in service delivery and bolster its online reputation and brand identity.

Where Excellence Meets Quality

Over the last decade, ABG has experienced a phenomenal growth rate of over 300 percent. The majority of this growth is driven by clients from the middle-market space, comprising 250 to 5000 employees. ABG primarily works with industry leading benefits consultants and advisors who manage the global employer benefits strategy. The strength of these advisor relationships continues to drive unparalleled opportunities. Cummings has always recognized that the sweet spot is in the middle market: “Our bench is deep enough to seamlessly manage a Fortune 1000 client while also being able to manage a high-touch relationship-based service experience. But we focus primarily on the middle market where the majority of the benefits consulting firms also are centered.”

ABG’s ascension as a premier benefits solution provider is the long-term result of more than 30 years of passionate focus. Cummings attributes the continued growth and success of his company to the unique talents and dedication of ABG’s people. “We’ve built an incredible ‘operations and customer support’ organization over several decades. We’ve learned from experience that when the entire organization is vertically aligned with one unified vision and there is complete clarity on the mission and the core values, incredible things can happen. We relish the journey and look forward with much anticipation to the future,” says Cummings.

Read full Article at HR TECH Outlook

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• Transit and Parking Section 132
• HSA
• Health Savings
• Health Reimbursement Arrangements
• Health Reimbursement
• FSA
• Flexible Spending
• COBRA
• CDHC

In recent years, the US’ employee benefits landscape has rapidly evolved owing to factors such as escalating healthcare costs, changes in employment and benefits laws, and new initiatives and options in healthcare benefits. As employers continue to explore various ways to manage the costs and strategic design of their health benefits programs, integrated consumer-driven accounts such as Healthcare FSA, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), and Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) play an instrumental role to empower participants with the tools they need to manage their health care spending and out of pocket costs. Delivering comprehensive tools and guidance to manage these accounts in one place with access real time healthcare cost and quality assessment tools and data is a responsibility that Massachusetts-based American Benefits Group (ABG) take very seriously.

Read full Article at MANAGE HR

• Health Reimbursement Arrangements
• Health Reimbursement
• FSA
• Flexible Spending
• COBRA
• CDHC
• Health Savings
• HSA
• Transit and Parking Section 132

• Annual Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA) contribution limits will not increase they will remain at the 2020 amount of $2,750
• Monthly limit for Transit and Parking will not increase they will remain at the 2020 amount of $270 per benefit
• Annual maximum reimbursement for a Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement (QSEHRA) will increase $50 for individual coverage from the current amount of $5,250 to $5,300 and the maximum reimbursement amount will increase $100 for family coverage from the current amount of $10,600 to $10,700

As a reminder, the IRS announced 2021 Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions limit increases earlier this year. In 2021, the annual HSA contribution limit for individual coverage will increase $50 from the current $3,550 to $3,600, and the family coverage contribution limit will increase $100 from the current $7,100 to $7,200. 

Please note that this email has been sent to the Company Plan Administrator and Broker Contacts, please share with others in your organization.

If you have any questions, please contact American Benefits Group for more information.

• CDHC
• Cafeteria Plans
• FSA
• Flexible Spending
• Health Savings
• Transit and Parking Section 132

Notice 2020-29

In Notice 2020-29, the IRS provides for increased flexibility with respect to mid-year elections under a cafeteria plan during calendar year 2020 related to employer sponsored health coverage, Health FSAs and DCAPs. This notice also provides increased flexibility with respect to grace periods and carryover periods to apply unused amounts in health FSAs to medical care expenses incurred through December 31, 2020, and unused amounts in dependent care assistance programs to dependent care expenses incurred through December 31, 2020.

Specifically, this notice provides that -

For mid-year elections made during calendar year 2020, a cafeteria plan may permit employees who are eligible to make salary reduction contributions under the plan to:

with respect to employer-sponsored health coverage,

• make a new election on a prospective basis, if the employee initially declined to elect employer-sponsored health coverage;
• revoke an existing election and make a new election to enroll in different health coverage sponsored by the same employer on a prospective basis; and
• revoke an existing election on a prospective basis, provided that the employee attests in writing that the employee is enrolled, or immediately will enroll, in other health coverage not sponsored by the employer (An example of an acceptable written attestation is provided in the notice);
  • revoke an election, make a new election, or decrease or increase an existing election applicable to a Health FSA on a prospective basis; and

• revoke an election, make a new election, or decrease or increase an existing election regarding a DCAP on a prospective basis;

For unused amounts remaining in a Health FSA or a DCAP under the Cafeteria plan as of the end of a grace period or plan year ending in 2020, a Cafeteria plan may permit employees to apply those unused amounts to pay or reimburse medical care expenses or dependent care expenses, respectively, incurred through December 31, 2020; and

The relief provided in Notice 2020-15 regarding high deductible health plans (HDHPs) and expenses related to Coronavirus under the CARES Act) regarding an exemption for telehealth services, may be applied retroactively to January 1, 2020.

The IRS indicated that these amendments are not required, and an employer has discretion in which rules to adopt. If an employer wishes to adopt them, it must amend its cafeteria plan on or before December 31, 2021.

For a copy of Notice 2020-29, please click on the link: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-20-29.pdf

Notice 2020-33

In Notice 2020-33, the IRS increases the carryover limit (currently $500) of unused amounts remaining as of the end of a plan year in a Health FSA under Cafeteria plan that may be carried over to pay or reimburse a participant for medical care expenses incurred during the following plan year. Specifically, this notice increases the maximum $500 carryover amount for a plan year to an amount equal to 20 percent of the maximum salary reduction contribution under Code Section 125(i) for that plan year. For 2020, this limit is $2750. The carryover limit for 20202 is $550.

Second, this notice clarifies the ability of an ICHRA or Cafeteria plan to reimburse individual insurance policy premium expenses incurred prior to the beginning of the plan year for coverage provided during the plan year. This means that an ICHRA with a calendar year plan year may immediately reimburse a substantiated premium for health insurance coverage that begins on January 1 of that plan year, even if the covered individual paid the premium for the coverage prior to the first day of the plan year.

For a copy of Notice 2020-33, please click on the link below:

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-20-33.pdf

• IRS
• HSA
• HRA
• Flexible Spending
• Section 125 Plans

Under this ruling, the following timeframes are disregarded for the period of National Emergency (starting March 1, 2020) through 60 days following the end of the National Emergency Declaration (“Outbreak Period”), or until further rulings and guidance are issued.

Download INSIGHTS FOR EMPLOYERS

Relief for Plan Participants

• The 30-day period (or 60-day period, if applicable) to request special enrollment under ERISA section 701(f) and Code section 9801(f), Start Printed Page 26354
• The 60-day election period for COBRA continuation coverage under ERISA section 605 and Code section 4980B(f)(5),[9]
• The date for making COBRA premium payments pursuant to ERISA section 602(2)(C) and (3) and Code section 4980B(f)(2)(B)(iii) and (C),[10]
• The date for individuals to notify the plan of a qualifying event or determination of disability under ERISA section 606(a)(3) and Code section 4980B(f)(6)(C),
• The date within which individuals may file a benefit claim under the plan's claims procedure pursuant to 29 CFR 2560.503-1,
• The date within which claimants may file an appeal of an adverse benefit determination under the plan's claims procedure pursuant to 29 CFR 2560.503-1(h),
• The date within which claimants may file a request for an external review after receipt of an adverse benefit determination or final internal adverse benefit determination pursuant to 29 CFR 2590.715-2719(d)(2)(i) and 26 CFR 54.9815-2719(d)(2)(i), and
• The date within which a claimant may file information to perfect a request for external review upon a finding that the request was not complete pursuant to 29 CFR 2590.715-2719(d)(2)(ii) and 26 CFR 54.9815-2719(d)(2)(ii).

Relief for Group Health Plans

• With respect to group health plans, and their sponsors and administrators, the Outbreak Period shall be disregarded when determining the date for providing a COBRA election notice under ERISA section 606(c) and Code section 4980B(f)(6)(D). 

Later Extensions

• The Agencies will continue to monitor the effects of the Outbreak and may provide additional relief as warranted.

How is ABG handling this?

This is a very fluid situation and circumstances are evolving rapidly throughout the country. We will continue to make timely adjustments to the processes outlined below if and when it becomes necessary and as additional guidance becomes available.

• Beginning Monday, May 11, 2020 all Specific Rights Notices, Late Payment Reminders, Partial Payment Notices and Termination Notices mailed to participants will include the below additional verbiage:

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING COVID-19

On May 4, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and Employee Benefits Security Administration (“EBSA”) issued a final ruling regarding the extension of certain timeframes during the COVID-19 Emergency. Your continuation coverage through the Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act (COBRA) may be impacted by these extensions.

These extensions apply to many timeframes including (but not limited to) the 60-day election window and payment grace periods beginning March 1, 2020, through the end the Outbreak Period (which has yet to be determined). If you choose to defer payments, all premiums will still be required to be paid once the Outbreak Period ends.

Please read the ruling in full, available here: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/04-11796 

To read an FAQ for participants and beneficiaries, please visit: https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/EBSA/about-ebsa/our-activities/resource-center/faqs/covid-19.pdf 

• A message will be posted to the Member Portal for any existing participants (the communication is linked here https://www.amben.com/demos/COBRA/ABG_COBRA_COVID-19_COVERAGE.pdf)
• Late Payments will be automatically accepted. No additional action required.
• Late Elections will continue to be processed. No additional action required.
• Disability Extensions will be honored beyond the required timeline. No additional action required.
• HIPAA Special Enrollments will be allowed beyond the required timeline. No additional action required.
• All grace periods and election windows and current processes will continue to run as usual; however, late payments and elections will be accepted as outlined above. This includes:
  • Late Payment Reminders will be sent on or around the 13^th of each month
  • Termination Notices will be sent if there is a failure to pay or request to cancel
  • Members will continue to be terminated from coverage as usual.

Additional Options:

• If you wish to do a mailing of the Member Notification (https://www.amben.com/demos/COBRA/ABG_COBRA_COVID-19_COVERAGE.pdf) to your existing COBRA participants, ABG is able to do so. An additional fee of $3.75/notice would apply. Contact us if interested in this mailing
  • Mailing can be sent to active and/or pending COBRA participants
  • Mailing can be customized as you see fit
  • Mailing will be saved in Communications Tab of each Member’s account

We will continue to monitor any changes that may directly affect the ways in which we administer COBRA and will reach back out with any new information as it becomes available. We wish you all the best during these times and welcome you to reach out to us with any additional questions you may have.

Resources:

• Notice (Final Rule)
• DOL News Release
• EBSA Disaster Relief Notice 2020-01
• Frequently Asked Questions
• INSIGHTS FOR EMPLOYERS

COBRA & Direct Billing
American Benefits Group

• COBRA
• Compliance and Regulatory

Yesterday, recognizing the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Labor released guidance that extends the period of time that a participant has in enrolling in coverage under a health plan, paying for COBRA continuation coverage, submitting claims for coverage and disputing denials of claims for benefits. The guidance also extends the period of time that a group health plan sponsor or administrator has to provide a COBRA election notice. Agency FAQs were also released related to the guidance. Essentially, the guidance provides that actions that must be taken with the time period from March 1, 2020 until 60 days after the time the federal government declares the COVID-19 emergency (referred to as the “Outbreak Period”) has ended will be disregarded . 

The guidance states that the following actions that are required to be taken during the Outbreak Period are extended until after the Outbreak Period ends:

• Special health plan enrollment periods;
• 60-day election period for COBRA continuation coverage;
• The date for making COBRA continuation coverage premium payments;
• The date for individuals to notify a health plan of a qualifying event or disability;
• The date that individuals can make a claim for benefits (essentially extending the run-out period for reimbursement by health plans, health FSA or HRA plans until after the pandemic is over);
• The dates for appeal of denied benefit plans and external review of claims denials; and
• The date a group health plan sponsor or administrator has to provide a COBRA election notice

The guidance provides a number of helpful examples illustrating how this relief will operate. Unfortunately, this guidance does not allow cafeteria plan salary reduction elections to be changed or revoked does not increase the FSA carryover amount – two issues that we have asked the IRS and Treasury Department to provide guidance.

• COBRA

This change is retroactive and effective for expenses incurred on or after January 1, 2020.

Immediately ABG will start to approve manual claims submitted for over-the-counter items and menstrual care products—we have started instructing our claims processors on this. Although the card will not be ready to purchase these items for another few weeks’ employees will be able to submit manual claims for out-of-pocket expenses. We will also be approving any items that were purchased at a 90%rule merchant if we are provided a receipt indicating that the item was for a qualifying over-the-counter item. As you can tell from the below explanation we received, there are still determinations to be made on exactly what items will be classified as eligible.

Once the new plan document language is available we will be amending the FSA plan documents.

There is not yet a comprehensive list available but it is in process of being finalized. Here are a few data points for you to be aware of:

1. The SIGIS vote to adopt the new eligible items will take place via email sometime during the week of 4/6.
2. Assuming adoption, the revised Eligible Product List (EPL) criteria will be published on 4/15.
3. From there, merchant adoption will depend on how quickly they pick up change (note, all SIGIS compliant relators are required to update their systems monthly) and update their system with the changes.
4. As for the number of new items that will be approved here is a quick snapshot broken down by OTC and Menstrual Care (Feminine Care):

• With the ACA there were 15,019 OTC items that were removed from the eligible items list. These will ALL be added back automatically and will not be reviewed by SIGIS.
• There have been 1,282 OTC items submitted by members since the ACA change. These have been reviewed by the SIGIS committee and assigned appropriately, as such, will be added to the list of eligible items.
• Since the ACA there were 2,810 OTC items that were rejected as OTC and not added. These will be reviewed again and likely added.
• Menstrual Care (Feminine Care) items have never been eligible and therefore will have to be reviewed in totality. These items will not make it until the 5/15 publishing of the list.

In Summary- ~17,500 OTC items will be added to the list on 4/15, and adopted by the merchants soon thereafter. The Menstrual Care (Feminine Care) items will most likely be added 5/15 and be available for card swipe auto substantiation shortly thereafter.

Let us know if you have any questions or would like additional information.

• Health Care Reform
• Cafeteria Plans
• HSA
• HRA
• FSA

Reminder - We request you help us in an effort to reduce US mail wherever possible

• Manual Claim Reimbursement: these can be submitted electronically either by uploading information through the participant portal, using the camera feature with our mobile application or faxing to our secure fax viewer.
• Monthly Administrative Service Fee Invoices Payments: communications have been sent to all AP contacts for each organization. Within the communication, we identify alternative methods of payment.
• COBRA and Direct Billing: If you are currently receiving your remittances by check we ask that you sign up for ACH. Please reach out to accounting@amben.com.

Important Information About Reimbursement Accounts
We at ABG empathize with you as the HR and benefits teams for your organizations, as you manage the strain and upheaval that the COVID-19 crisis is causing. We will do everything we can to help you in this time of need. Questions can be directed to 800-499-3539, press option 2 at the prompt, or you may send an email to support@amben.com. In the email below please see some important points about Commuter benefits and Dependent Care Assistance Plans. ABG is sending this communication to all of our clients, so it may be that the benefits discussed do not apply to your organization. 

ABG has the health and safety of our own employees in mind. As of Monday, March 16th, we moved our entire workforce to work remotely. Our support team is available as always to handle employees’ claims, questions and employer requests. However, during these unusual times we are emphasizing the need for participants to use our robust technology and to refrain from using the US Mail wherever possible. For reimbursements, please have employees to sign up for direct deposit (instead of through paper check). For submitting claims please submit through the employee WealthCare Portal, the ABG WealthCare Mobile App, or by FAX (with a completed claim form) at 877-723-0147.

Layoffs and Terminations
Please continue to notify ABG promptly of any employee layoffs or terminations – this is critical during this period. Many of you have assumed calendars in place, and if you fail to notify us of changes in their employment status, those calendars would treat employees as actively making payroll contributions. This would mean that no payroll deductions are being taken to match what our system is assuming, and reimbursements would be made in error. IRS rules that govern these plans would not allow for this.

Please notify us promptly of all layoffs and terminations, providing the last work date and the last pay date when a deduction will be taken. If you have an ongoing weekly EDI eligibility file in place, be certain to update any layoffs or terminations in the source system for that file as soon as you can. If you do not have an ongoing eligibility file in place, please send all terminations to processing@amben.com using our Enrollment Submission Spreadsheet. The spreadsheet can be found here: http://amben.com/demos/enrollment/Enrollment_Submission_Spreadsheet.xls. 
SEND ENCRYPTED: Since the spreadsheet once completed will contain sensitive Personal Information (PI), per privacy regulations it must be emailed in an encrypted manner. If you do not have your own means for sending encrypted emails, you may use our secure email tool – details appear further below in this email.

Employees on Furlough / Leave
When an employee is furloughed, payroll deductions cease as the employee is not receiving pay. To learn how to treat FSA elections during a furlough, please refer to your FSA and Section 125 Cafeteria Plan documents and Summary Plan Description (SPD), in combination with the internal policies for your organization. You may wish to also consult with legal counsel. Should you have any questions, please contact us and we will do our best to answer them.

Working from Home
For employees who are now working from home due to the COVID-19 crisis, or whose commuter needs have otherwise changed significantly, those employees can change their Commuter Transit & Parking and their Dependent Care FSA elections if their need for these benefits decreases or ends completely. All changes are prospective – meaning the new elections must have a future effective date.

Commuter Transit & Parking Elections
Commuter Transit and Commuter Parking are month-to-month benefits, therefore employees can reduce their monthly election amount going forward, including changing that amount to $0.00. This can be changed back at a future date when their commuting needs change again. If you have these benefits with ABG, employees may be receiving these benefits in one of the following ways:

ABG Benefits Card
Any balances currently on the ABG Benefits Card will be available for future purchases as long as the employee remains as an active employee with your organization. April elections may or may not be able to be changed for the ABG Benefits Card, depending on the timing of your own payroll and when in the month you fund employee Transit and Parking benefits. ABG will continue to process any changes submitted to us as soon as possible. 

My Commuter Connect – with Commuter Check Card
Any balances currently on the Commuter Check Card will be available for future purchases as long as the employee remains as an active employee with your organization. The deadline for any changes to Commuter Check Card orders for April has already passed, but changes can be made for May or later months. 

My Commuter Connect – Transit & Parking products other than the Commuter Check Card
For employees who have ordered other transit products through ABG’s My Commuter Connect order fulfillment platform, orders for April cannot be changed as all deadlines for the April benefit month have passed. However, individual transit authorities may have implemented their own refund policies.

For an employee to determine if they can get a refund for a product that they received for April that they will not be able to use, they can visit this site:
https://commuterbenefits.com/covid-19-policies/ 

Please note that this informational page is being constantly being updated, so you and your employees should always refer to the link rather than an older version they might have downloaded. Please make sure employees update any orders they may have in place for the May benefit month. When they log into the My Commuter Connect portal www.mycommuterconnect.com, they will see the cut-off date for changing May orders.

Dependent Care FSA Elections
Dependent Care FSAs are based on annual elections. For the Dependent Care (DCA) benefit, if an employee’s child care or dependent care needs have changed, they can reduce their annual DCA election going forward. You as the employer will need to provide ABG with the revised annual election amount, the first payroll date that the change will be effective, and new per-pay-period deduction amount. As long as you do not terminate these employees they will be able to continue to access any contributions they have made to their account to date for any DCA-eligible child or dependent care needs they continue to have. These amounts will be available for expenses incurred through the end of the current plan year. 

Because under the COVID-19 crisis work arrangements are continuously evolving for many organizations, it’s important to remember that the dates of service of the dependent care come into play. If an employee is working from home, and they are a single parent or if they are married and both parents are working, dependent care expenses for with those dates of service would qualify for reimbursement under the Dependent Care FSA. They could hire someone (who is not also their tax dependent) to care for their children while they are working (both working if married). However, any dates of service that occur when a single employee is not working, or when a married employee is not working or whose spouse is not working, would not qualify for reimbursement under the Dependent Care FSA.

SENDING ENCRYPTED EMAILS
If your organization does not offer encrypted email, you may use our encrypted email service to send email securely to ABG. Please use the following link:
sendsecure.amben.com (https://securemail.nfp.com/securereader/init.jsf?brand=b55e9c17 )

This service is offered through our parent company, NFP Corp., and will be branded as “NFP Initiate Secure Email”. The page will look like this:

If using the service for the first time:
•    Enter your email address, then click Continue.
•    Enter your last name, and click Continue.
•    Create your own password, and then confirm your password.
•    You will receive a verification email containing a link to complete the process. The link must be used within 30 minutes or the process will need to be started again.
•    Once registered, you may visit the same address at any time, sendsecure.amben.com and can use it to send files to processing@amben.com. Please note, you will not be able to copy anyone from your own organization or outside of ABG when sending – we recommend that you send only to processing@amben.com and do not copy anyone else.

Let us know if you have any questions or would like additional information.

American Benefits Group
support@amben.com  |  Tel: 800-499-3539  |  Fax: 877-723-0147
 

American Benefits Group does not provide legal or tax advice. You should consult an attorney or tax professional regarding the application or potential implications of laws, regulations or policies to your specific circumstances.

• Compliance and Regulatory
• Flexible Spending
• FSA
• HRA
• HSA
• Commuter

• Annual Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA) contribution limits will increase $50 from the current amount of $2,700 to $2,750
  
  
• Monthly limit for Transit and Parking will increase $5 each from the current amount of $265 to $270
  
  
• Annual maximum reimbursement for a Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement (QSEHRA) will increase $100 for individual coverage from the current amount of $5,150 to $5,250, and the maximum reimbursement amount will increase $150 for family coverage from the current amount of $10,450 to $10,600

As a reminder, the IRS announced 2020 health savings account (HSA) contributions limit increases. In 2020, the annual HSA contribution limit for individual coverage will increase $50 from the current $3,500 to $3,550, and the family coverage contribution limit will increase $100 from the current $7,000 to $7,100. 

If you have any questions, please contact American Benefits Group for more information. 

• Transit and Parking Section 132
• IRS
• CDHC
• Flexible Spending