REMINDER: PCORI Fees Due By July 31, 2022
Employers that sponsor self-insured group health plans, including health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) should keep in mind the upcoming July 31, 2022 deadline for paying fees that fund the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) via Form 720, which was recently updated and released by the IRS. As background, the PCORI was established as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to conduct research to evaluate the effectiveness of medical treatments, procedures and strategies that treat, manage, diagnose or prevent illness or injury. Under the ACA, most employer sponsors and insurers are required to pay PCORI fees until 2029, as it only applies to plan years ending on or before September 30, 2029 (unless extended).
The amount of PCORI fees due by employer sponsors and insurers is based upon the number of covered lives under each “applicable self-insured health plan” and “specified health insurance policy” (as defined by regulations) and the plan or policy year end date. This year, employers will pay the fee for plan years ending in 2021.
The fee is due by July 31, 2022 and varies based on the applicable plan year as follows:
- For plan years that ended between January 1, 2021 and September 30, 2021, the fee is $2.66 per covered life.
- For plan years that ended between October 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021, the fee is $2.79 per covered life.
For example, for a plan year that ran from July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021 the fee is $2.66 per covered life. The fee for calendar year 2021 plans is $2.79 per covered life. The insurance carrier is responsible for paying the PCORI fee on behalf of a fully insured plan. The employer is responsible for paying the fee on …