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Good afternoon:
As the world turns ... on its axis, a new season arrives this month: Spring! This year, the vernal equinox, when day and night are both 12 hours long, falls on March 20. If that doesn't provide enough excitement, remember to celebrate Daylight Saving Time on Sunday, March 13 at 2am by spending a few hours re-setting the countless clocks, watches, timers, computers, TVs, DVDs, VCRs or any other gizmo that you haven't figured out how to auto-program for the time change.
Fortunately, most computers are programmed to make the change without any help, but, if you have equipment with timers made before 2007 (aka 'antiques'), they may not have updated Daylight Saving Time data. One cheery thought after all that effort: no more driving home in the dark!
March is arriving like a Lion, weather-wise and politically. While the ClientCall is strictly non-partisan, we are ardently pro-client!
In Washington, D.C. and throughout the nation, the political focus is on employee benefits and health care regulations. In the halls of Congress, in the courts and capitols, lawmakers, protestors, lawyers and leaders are making their cases for their causes:
The rituals themselves consisted of wild, sacred dance, songs and chants. Offerings are frequently made, sometimes in the form of animal sacrifices. Some even practiced human sacrifice to make the lands fertile, but as time passed ...
(Oops, editor error: this was part was supposed to go in the "Happy Vernal Equinox" introduction. Still ... )
The issues that are relevant to our clients right now are the adjustments to the new health care law (repealed by the new Congress last January, but not in the Senate. However, as noted in an earlier BenefitsBulletin, the Senate did strike the tax-reporting law that would require 1099 forms filed for purchases over $600 and Congress voted on March 3, 2011 to repeal the 1099 mandate; the bill passed 314 - 112).
Late last month, Mr. Obama announced that he supports amending the health care law to allow states to opt out of the 'most burdensome requirements' three years earlier' than planned. However (and it's a big 'however'), states must request federal permission to opt out of those mandates as long as they can prove they can find other ways to cover "as many people as the original law would and at the same cost" (www.nytimes.com).
The BenefitsBulletin sent to you on February 11 (Health Care Law Repeal and State Lawsuits), focused on the ruling by U.S. Federal Judge Roger Vinson. Judge Vinson found the law unconstitutional; however (yes, another one), the ruling is under appeal.
The Bottom Line: except for the expunged 1099 mandate, the law is still in effect until the U.S. Supreme Court receives the appeal and issues its ruling.
We wish you a happy Spring (forward: don't forget to set the clocks!) and hope your March goes out like a Lamb!
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