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UPDATE: U.S. Treasury Secretary Announces Extended Tax Season

Client Alert

In a move for further relief for taxpayers, U.S. Treasury Secretary, Steve Mnuchin, has announced the April 15, 2020 filing deadline has been extended.

What It Is

The relief expands on the previous payment relief granted to taxpayers who have income tax payments due April 15, 2020. Now, in addition to a delay in payment, taxpayers will also not be required to file their returns until July 15, 2020. This extension is automatic and does not require the filing of the usual paperwork to obtain an extension. HOWEVER, taxpayers who wish to have the normal 6-month extension for filing their return MUST file the customary extension requests (Form 4868 or 7004) by the April 15, 2020 deadline.

State of Ohio

At this time, the State of Ohio has not issued any formal statement about extending either the due date or payment date for Ohio income taxes.  Ohio officials have said, they will “monitor IRS guidance as released” but have not committed to adopting the same deadlines and/or extensions. The Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants has written a second letter to the governor in light of the previous payment relief granted by the IRS requesting that an extension be put in place and we are currently awaiting a response. Cities also have not made any pronouncements as their due date is tied to the State of Ohio due date.

Other States

Some other states have released guidance as to relief that they are granting taxpayers. The most up-to-date information for this is available on the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants website https://www.aicpa.org/content/dam/aicpa/advocacy/tax/downloadabledocuments/coronavirus-state-filing-relief.pdf

This information is all based on a tweet issued by Mnuchin today. No formal guidance or announcements have come from the IRS at this time. We will continue to update you on any changes as guidance becomes available.


Increased Medicaid Rates to Take Effect This Month for Ohio Providers

As required by House Bill 33, Ohio’s 2024-2025 operating budget bill, reimbursement rates paid by the Ohio Department of Medicaid will increase for a wide range of providers starting on January 1, 2024.

Corporate Transparency Act Update

The Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”), with an effective date of January 1, 2024, is set to impose strict reporting guidelines on business owners throughout the country. The following provides a brief update on two aspects of the CTA ahead of its effectiveness next week.

The Second Wave of UnitedHealthcare's Prior Authorization Cuts Started in November

In August 2023, UnitedHealthcare released its plan to eliminate roughly one-fifth of its then-current prior authorization requirements. The first round of prior authorization cuts took effect on September 1, 2023. In that round, UnitedHealthcare eliminated the necessity for some prior authorizations for UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage, UnitedHealthcare commercial, UnitedHealthcare Oxford and UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange plan members. The second and final round of prior authorization cuts began on November 1, 2023. The November 2023 Prior Authorization Cuts apply to the same plans as well as community plans (i.e., Medicaid managed care plans).

Legal Uncertainties Remain Following Passage of Issue 1 in Ohio

In the November 2023 General Election, Ohio voters passed Issue 1 which, among other things, “[e]stablish[es] in the Constitution of the State of Ohio an individual right to one’s own reproductive medical treatment, including but not limited to abortion”. Despite passage of Issue 1, questions persist about how its codification on December 7 affects previously passed legislation restricting abortion and related pending court cases.

NLRB Issues Final Rule on Joint-Employer Status

On October 26, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued its final rule on determining joint-employer status, departing from its prior 2020 standard. The final rule provides that two or more entities may be considered “joint employers” if each entity has an employment relationship with employees and if the entities share or codetermine one or more employees’ essential terms and conditions of employment. The final rule goes into effect on December 26, 2023, and will only be applied to cases filed after the effective date.