Plans, Perks & Pay | Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Blog

As the number of people receiving a COVID-19 vaccine has decreased, employers have tried to find ways to incentivize their employees to get vaccinated. While some employers have imposed COVID-19 vaccine requirements, others have searched for alternative methods to motivate employees to receive the vaccines. One method some employers have considered is imposing a surcharge on health insurance premiums for employees and their dependents who are unvaccinated. The Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, and the Department of the Treasury issued guidance this week that addresses COVID-19 vaccine premium surcharges.

On May 24, 2019, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announced that it is issuing proposed revised regulations under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act that remove the redefinition of “sex” and certain regulatory burdens, including language taglines. The changes substantially roll back the original Obama-era regulations.