On June 9, 2022, the IRS released Announcement 2022-13, in which the agency increased the optional standard mileage rate for computing the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business to 62.5 cents per mile. The optional standard mileage rate for medical and moving expenses is increased to 22 cents per mile. These increases are effective starting on July 1, 2022, and were increased in part due to higher fuel costs. Taxpayers may use the optional standard mileage rates to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, medical and moving...

On June 3, 2022, the IRS, DOL and HHS (the “departments”) released a federal independent dispute resolution (IDR) process checklist of requirements for group health plans and insurers. The checklist was designed to help plans and insurers understand their obligations when processing claims for items and services covered by the No Surprises Act (NSA) balance billing protections.

On May 23, 2022, in Zahuranec v. Cigna Healthcare, Inc., et al., the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court decision that upheld a self-funded plan’s subrogation and reimbursement rights. The plaintiff-appellant, Lisa Zahuranec, was a plan participant who suffered serious complications after undergoing bariatric surgery. The plan approved and paid for the surgery, although it did not meet medical necessity criteria. Zahuranec received a settlement from a medical malpractice suit brought against the physicians who performed the surgery. She then brought ERISA claims...

The IRS recently updated its descriptions of the tax rules applicable to the employer-provided parking benefit. Employer paid parking that is a “qualified transportation fringe” (QTF) is excluded from employees’ gross income up to the statutory limit (e.g., $280 per month in 2022) under IRC Code Section 132(f). A QTF includes qualified parking, which is on or near the employer’s business premises or at a location from which the employee commutes to work by mass transit facilities, commuter highway vehicle, carpool or car service.

On May 25, 2022, the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division released a Fact Sheet and series of FAQs on FMLA leaves taken for mental health-related reasons. The new guidance does not change existing law. Rather, it serves to emphasize that mental health conditions should not be treated any differently than physical health conditions in FMLA administration.

On May 19, 2022, the IRS released Notice 2022-28. This notice provides guidance concerning the tax treatment of PTO donated by employees (through their employers) to charities assisting Ukraine.

On May 6, 2022, the US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ruled in Skelton v. Radisson Hotel Bloomington, et al. that a life insurer, when assuming a fiduciary role to determine eligibility and enrollment, must maintain an effective enrollment system. Specifically, the system must sync lists of eligible enrolled participants maintained by the insurer and employer.

The IRS, DOL and HHS recently asked the Fifth Circuit to stay an appeal they had filed on the Texas federal court case vacating key parts of the independent dispute resolution (IDR) process in the No Surprises Act (NSA) interim final rule. The court granted the hold to pause the legal challenge on May 3.

On May 3, 2022, the IRS released Revenue Procedure 2022-24, which provides the 2023 inflation-adjusted limits for HSAs and HSA-qualifying HDHPs. According to the revenue procedure, the 2023 annual HSA contribution limit will increase to $3,850 for individuals with self-only HDHP coverage (up $200 from 2022) and to $7,750 for individuals with anything other than self-only HDHP coverage (family or self + 1, self + child(ren), or self + spouse/domestic partner coverage), an increase of $450 from 2022.

On March 25, 2022, the IRS released an Information Letter on whether an expense qualifies as medical care under Code §213. As stated, health savings accounts (HSAs), health flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and health reimbursement accounts (HRAs) may only reimburse employees for amounts spent on “medical care” as defined in Code §213(d). That definition includes “amounts paid for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or for the purpose of affecting any structure or function of the body.” The regulations also require that allowed expenses be primarily for medical or mental health purposes.