ACA Update: IRS Announces 2027 Cost-Sharing Limits | Virginia Benefits Consultants

On January 29, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) officially released the maximum cost-sharing limits for the 2027 plan year. These figures represent a significant 13.2% increase over the 2026 limits, marking a substantial shift in potential out-of-pocket expenses for plan participants. 2027 Maximum Out-of-Pocket Limits For 2027, the maximum annual … Continued

2026 ACA Reporting Guide: Key Deadlines and Compliance Requirements | VA Employee Benefits Group

Employers must prepare for Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting covering the 2025 calendar year. Staying ahead of these deadlines is critical for Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) and providers of self-insured health plans. Who is Required to Report? Reporting obligations under Internal Revenue Code Sections 6055 and 6056 fall into two main categories: Self-Insured Health Plan … Continued

What Brokers Should Be Doing Now to Get Clients ACA-Ready | Virginia Employee Benefits Agents

How to position yourself as a trusted ACA compliance advisor For brokers and benefits advisors, Q4 planning doesn’t start in October. It starts now. September marks a critical moment in the annual ACA compliance cycle, when employers begin thinking about year-end strategies, benefits renewals, and how to avoid last-minute reporting panic. That makes now the perfect … Continued

ACA Update: Enhanced No-Cost Cancer Screenings for Women Coming in 2026 | VA Employee Benefits Group

Big changes are coming to women’s preventive care coverage!  Starting with plan years on or after December 31, 2025, group health plans and health insurance issuers must expand their no-cost coverage for women’s preventive care. This expansion includes additional breast cancer imaging or testing needed to complete an initial mammogram, as well as patient navigation … Continued

Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) Rebates: A Timely Reminder | Virginia Benefits Group

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) introduced the Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) to ensure that health insurance companies spend a significant portion of premiums on medical care and quality improvement activities rather than administrative costs and profits. When insurers fail to meet the MLR threshold, they are required to issue rebates to plan sponsors. Understanding MLR … Continued

PCORI Fee Filing Deadline | Virginia Benefits Advisors

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund fee, often referred to as the PCORI fee, can be a source of confusion for employers offering health insurance plans. This article aims to simplify what the PCORI fee is, why it exists, and how it impacts your business. What is the PCORI Fee? The PCORI fee is an … Continued

Benefits Buzz February 2024 | Virginia Benefits Firm

ACA Reporting Deadlines Are Approaching Employers subject to Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting under Internal Revenue Code Sections 6055 or 6056 should prepare to comply with upcoming reporting deadlines. For the 2023 calendar year, covered employers must: Furnish statements to individuals by March 1, 2024 (an alternative method of furnishing statements to covered individuals is … Continued

Benefits Buzz December 2023 | VA Employee Benefits Partners

IRS Announces Employee Benefit Plan Limits for 2024 Many employee benefits are subject to annual dollar limits that are updated for inflation before the beginning of each calendar year. Most of these annual dollar limits will increase in 2024. Note that some benefit limits are not adjusted for inflation, such as the contribution limit for … Continued

Upcoming ACA Reporting Deadlines | Virginia Benefits Partners

Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting under Section 6055 and Section 6056 for the 2021 calendar year is due in early 2022. Specifically, reporting entities must: Furnish statements to individuals by March 2, 2022; and File returns with the IRS by Feb. 28, 2022 (or March 31, 2022, if filing electronically). Penalties may apply for reporting … Continued