Contributions by employer to accident and health plans

26 U.S.C. § 106
in effect
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(a) General ruleExcept as otherwise provided in this section, gross income of an employee does not include employer-provided coverage under an accident or health plan. (b) Contributions to Archer MSAs(1) In generalIn the case of an employee who is an eligible individual, amounts contributed by such employee’s employer to any Archer MSA of such employee shall be treated as employer-provided coverage for medical expenses under an accident or health plan to the extent such amounts do not exceed the limitation under section 220(b)(1) (determined without regard to this subsection) which is applicable to such employee for such taxable year. (2) No constructive receiptNo amount shall be included in the gross income of any employee solely because the employee may choose between the contributions referred to in paragraph (1) and employer contributions to another health plan of the employer. (3) Special rule for deduction of employer contributionsAny employer contribution to an Archer MSA, if otherwise allowable as a deduction under this chapter, shall be allowed only for the taxable year in which paid. (4) Employer MSA contributions required to be shown on returnEvery individual required to file a return under section 6012 for the taxable year shall include on such return the aggregate amount contributed by employers to the Archer MSAs of such individual or such individual’s spouse for such taxable year. (5) MSA contributions not part of COBRA coverageParagraph (1) shall not apply for purposes of section 4980B. (6) DefinitionsFor purposes of this subsection, the terms “eligible individual” and “Archer MSA” have the respective meanings given to such terms by section 220. (7) Cross referenceFor penalty on failure by employer to make comparable contributions to the Archer MSAs of comparable employees, see section 4980E. (c) Inclusion of long-term care benefits provided through flexible spending arrangements(1) In generalGross income of an employee shall include employer-provided coverage for qualified long-term care services (as defined in section 7702B(c)) to the extent that such coverage is provided through a flexible spending or similar arrangement. (2) Flexible spending arrangementFor purposes of this subsection, a flexible spending arrangement is a benefit program which provides employees with coverage under which—(A) specified incurred expenses may be reimbursed (subject to reimbursement maximums and other reasonable conditions), and (B) the maximum amount of reimbursement which is reasonably available to a participant for such coverage is less than 500 percent of the value of such coverage. In the case of an insured plan, the maximum amount reasonably available shall be determined on the basis of the underlying coverage. (d) Contributions to health savings accounts(1) In generalIn the case of an employee who is an eligible individual (as defined in section 223(c)(1)), amounts contributed by such employee’s employer to any health savings account (as defined in section 223(d)) of such employee shall be treated as employer-provided coverage for medical expenses under an accident or health plan to the extent such amounts do not exceed the limitation under section 223(b) (determined without regard to this subsection) which is applicable to such employee for such taxable year. (2) Special rulesRules similar to the rules of paragraphs (2), (3), (4), and (5) of subsection (b) shall apply for purposes of this subsection. (3) Cross referenceFor penalty on failure by employer to make comparable contributions to the health savings accounts of comparable employees, see section 4980G. (e) FSA and HRA terminations to fund HSAs(1) In generalA plan shall not fail to be treated as a health flexible spending arrangement or health reimbursement arrangement under this section or section 105 merely because such plan provides for a qualified HSA distribution. (2) Qualified HSA distributionThe term “qualified HSA distribution” means a distribution from a health flexible spending arrangement or health reimbursement arrangement to the extent that such distribution—(A) does not exceed the lesser of the balance in such arrangement on September 21, 2006, or as of the date of such distribution, and (B) is contributed by the employer directly to the health savings account of the employee before January 1, 2012. Such term shall not include more than 1 distribution with respect to any arrangement. (3) Additional tax for failure to maintain high deductible health plan coverage(A) In generalIf, at any time during the testing period, the employee is not an eligible individual, then the amount of the qualified HSA distribution—(i) shall be includible in the gross income of the employee for the taxable year in which occurs the first month in the testing period for which such employee is not an eligible individual, and (ii) the tax imposed by this chapter for such taxable year on the employee shall be increased by 10 percent of the amount which is so includible. (B) Exception for disability or deathClauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (A) shall not apply if the employee ceases to be an eligible individual by reason of the death of the employee or the employee becoming disabled (within the meaning of section 72(m)(7)). (4) Definitions and special rulesFor purposes of this subsection—(A) Testing periodThe term “testing period” means the period beginning with the month in which the qualified HSA distribution is contributed to the health savings account and ending on the last day of the 12th month following such month. (B) Eligible individualThe term “eligible individual” has the meaning given such term by section 223(c)(1). (C) Treatment as rollover contributionA qualified HSA distribution shall be treated as a rollover contribution described in section 223(f)(5). (5) Tax treatment relating to distributionsFor purposes of this title—(A) In generalA qualified HSA distribution shall be treated as a payment described in subsection (d). (B) Comparability excise tax(i) In generalExcept as provided in clause (ii), section 4980G shall not apply to qualified HSA distributions. (ii) Failure to offer to all employeesIn the case of a qualified HSA distribution to any employee, the failure to offer such distribution to any eligible individual covered under a high deductible health plan of the employer shall (notwithstanding section 4980G(d)) be treated for purposes of section 4980G as a failure to meet the requirements of section 4980G(b). (f) Reimbursements for menstrual care productsFor purposes of this section and section 105, expenses incurred for menstrual care products (as defined in section 223(d)(2)(D)) shall be treated as incurred for medical care. (g) Qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangementFor purposes of this section and section 105, payments or reimbursements from a qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangement (as defined in section 9831(d)) of an individual for medical care (as defined in section 213(d)) shall not be treated as paid or reimbursed under employer-provided coverage for medical expenses under an accident or health plan if for the month in which such medical care is provided the individual does not have minimum essential coverage (within the meaning of section 5000A(f)).

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