Coverage of Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act
Federal Register, Volume 79 Issue 166 (Wednesday, August 27, 2014)
Federal Register Volume 79, Number 166 (Wednesday, August 27, 2014)
Proposed Rules
Pages 51117-51118
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office www.gpo.gov
FR Doc No: 2014-20256
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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service
26 CFR Part 54
REG-129507-14
RIN 1545-BM37
Coverage of Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act
AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking by cross-reference to temporary regulations.
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SUMMARY: Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, the IRS is issuing temporary regulations (TD 9690) under the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the Affordable Care Act) that provide an alternative process that an eligible organization may use to provide notice of its religious objections to providing contraceptive coverage. The IRS is issuing the temporary regulations at the same time that the Employee Benefits Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor and the Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are issuing substantially similar interim final regulations with respect to group health plans and health insurance coverage offered in connection with a group health plan under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Public Health Service Act. The temporary regulations provide guidance to employers, group health plans, and health insurance issuers providing group health insurance coverage. The text of those temporary regulations also serves as the text of these proposed regulations.
DATES: Written or electronic comments and requests for a public hearing must be received by November 25, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Send submissions to: CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG-129507-14), Room 5205, Internal Revenue Service, P.O. Box 7604, Ben Franklin Station, Washington, DC 20044. Submissions may be hand-delivered to: CC:PA:LPD:PR (REG-129507-14), Courier's Desk, Internal Revenue Service, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20224. Alternatively, taxpayers may submit comments electronically via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov (IRS REG-129507-14).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Concerning the regulations, Karen Levin at 202-317-5500; concerning submissions of comments, Regina Johnson at 202-317-6901 (not toll-free numbers).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Paperwork Reduction Act
The collection of information contained in this notice of proposed rulemaking has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for review in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507(d)). Comments on the collection of information should be sent to the Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for the Department of the Treasury, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Washington, DC 20503, with copies to the Internal Revenue Service, Attn: IRS Reports Clearance Officer, SE:W:CAR:MP:T:T:SP, Washington, DC 20224. Comments on the collection of information should be received by October 27, 2014. Comments are specifically requested concerning:
Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Internal Revenue Service, including whether the information will have practical utility;
The accuracy of the estimated burdens associated with the proposed collection of information (see the preamble to the temporary regulations published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register);
How to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;
How to minimize the burden of complying with the proposed collection of information, including the application of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and
Estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.
The collection of information is in Sec. 54.9815-2713AT (see the temporary regulations published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register). The temporary regulations provide an alternative means for eligible organizations to provide notice of their religious objection to HHS, concerning all, or a subset of, contraceptive services. The temporary regulations will not result in any additional costs to affected entities because they merely provide an alternative means for eligible organizations to provide notice of their religious objection to all, or a subset of, contraceptive services.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid control number assigned by the Office of Management and Budget.
Books or records relating to a collection of information must be retained as long as their contents may become material in the administration of any internal revenue law. Generally tax returns and tax return information are confidential, as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103.
Background
Temporary regulations are being published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register. The proposed and temporary regulations are being published as part of a joint rulemaking with the Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Human Services (the joint rulemaking). The text of those temporary regulations also serves as the text of these proposed regulations. The preamble to the temporary regulations explains the temporary regulations.
Special Analyses
It has been determined that this notice of proposed rulemaking is not a significant regulatory action as defined in Executive Order 12866. Therefore, a regulatory assessment is not required. It has also been determined that section 553(b) of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 5) does not apply to this proposed regulation. It is hereby
Page 51118
certified that the collection of information contained in this notice of proposed rulemaking will not have a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. Accordingly, a regulatory flexibility analysis is not required. The temporary regulations will not result in any additional costs to affected entities but will provide an alternative means for eligible organizations to provide notice of their religious objection to all, or a subset of, contraceptive services. For this reason, the information collection requirement will not impose a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. For further information and for analyses relating to the joint rulemaking, see the preamble to the joint rulemaking. Pursuant to section 7805(f) of the Internal Revenue Code, this regulation has been submitted to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration for comment on its impact on small business.
Comments and Requests for a Public Hearing
Before these proposed regulations are adopted as final regulations, consideration will be given to any written comments (a signed original and eight (8) copies) or electronic comments that are submitted timely to the IRS. Comments are specifically requested on the clarity of the proposed regulations and how they may be made easier to understand. All comments will be available for public inspection and copying. A public hearing may be scheduled if requested in writing by a person that timely submits written comments. If a public hearing is scheduled, notice of the date, time, and place for the hearing will be published in the Federal Register.
Drafting Information
The principal author of these proposed regulations is Karen Levin, Office of the Division Counsel/Associate Chief Counsel (Tax Exempt and Government Entities), IRS. The proposed regulations, as well as the temporary regulations, have been developed in coordination with personnel from the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
List of Subjects in 26 CFR Part 54
Excise taxes, Health care, Health insurance, Pensions, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Proposed Amendments to the Regulations
Accordingly, 26 CFR part 54 is proposed to be amended as follows:
PART 54--PENSION EXCISE TAXES
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Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 54 continues to read, in part, as follows:
Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *
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Par. 2. Section 54.9815-2713A is revised to read as follows:
Sec. 54.9815-2713A Accommodations in connection with coverage of preventive health services.
The text of proposed Sec. 54.9815-2713A is the same as the text of Sec. 54.9815-2713AT published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
John Dalrymple,
Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement.
FR Doc. 2014-20256 Filed 8-22-14; 3:30 pm
BILLING CODE 4830-01-P
