A free video and PowerPoint slides
(381 KB PDF) are now available of the May 12 ACE webinar exploring whether helping
graduate students pay for student health insurance could trigger
penalties for colleges and universities under the Affordable Care Act
(ACA).
Last spring, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) raised questions
about whether institutions providing subsidized student health
insurance to their graduate students are in violation of the ACA. On
Feb. 5, 2016, the IRS and several other agencies issued a notice
that provides temporary transition relief for institutions that provide
such subsidies. You can find an analysis of this notice and potential
options for schools from Ernst & Young LLP here (260 KB PDF).
Webinar attendees learned more about the IRS notice and its implications for student health plans, including:
- When can a contribution to a student health plan trigger a penalty?
- How are the penalties calculated?
- What are the implications for graduate students?
- How are other institutions responding?
The ACE-hosted webinar
featured two experts from Ernst & Young: Helen Morrison, a
principal in the firm’s National Tax Department, and Heather Meade, who
advises policy makers, trade associations and others on a broad range of
health and tax-exempt issues as part of Ernst & Young’s Washington
Council practice.