Commonly Used Acronyms
ACA |
Affordable Care Act, also see PPACA |
AD&D Plan |
Accidental Death and Dismemberment Plan |
ADA |
Americans with Disabilities Act |
ADAAA |
ADA Amendments Act of 2008 |
ALE |
Applicable Large Employer |
ADEA |
Age Discrimination in Employment Act |
APTC |
Advance Premium Tax Credits |
ARRA |
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 |
ASO |
Administrative Services Only |
CAA 2021 |
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 |
CARES Act |
Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Securities Act |
CCIIO |
Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO), formerly known as the Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (OCIIO) |
CDHC |
Consumer-Driven Health Care |
CFR |
Code of Federal Regulations |
CMS |
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services – formerly known as Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) |
COBRA |
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act |
DCAP |
Dependent Care Assistance Program |
DCTC |
Dependent Care Tax Credit |
DOL |
U.S. Department of Labor |
EAP |
Employee Benefits Security Administration – formerly known as the Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration (PWBA) |
EDI |
Electronic Data Interchange |
EFAST |
ERISA Filing Acceptance System |
EEOC |
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission |
EGTRRA |
Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act |
EOB |
Explanation of Benefits |
EOI |
Evidence of Insurability |
ePHI |
Electronic Protected Health Information |
ERISA |
Employee Retirement Income Security Act |
FF-SHOP |
Federally Facilitated Small Business Health Options Program |
FFCRA |
Families First Coronavirus Response Act |
FICA |
Federal Insurance Contributions Act |
FLSA |
Fair Labor Standards Act |
FMLA |
Family and Medical Leave Act |
FSA |
Flexible Spending Arrangement |
FUTA |
Federal Unemployment Tax Act |
GINA |
Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act |
GTL Insurance |
Group Term Life Insurance |
HCE |
Highly Compensated Employee |
HCFA |
Health Care Financing Administration – now known as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) |
HCTC |
Health Coverage Tax Credit |
HDHC |
High Deductible Health Coverage |
HDHP |
High Deductible Health Plan |
Health FSA |
Health Flexible Spending Arrangement |
HEART Act |
Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008 |
HHS |
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services |
HIPAA |
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act |
HIPAA SER |
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Special Enrollment Rights |
HIT |
Health Insurance Tax |
HMO |
Health Maintenance Organization |
HRA |
Health Reimbursement Arrangement |
HSA |
Health Savings Account |
IRC |
Internal Revenue Code |
IRS |
Internal Revenue Service |
LTC |
Long-term Care |
LTD |
Long-term Disability |
MEC |
Minimum Essential Coverage |
MEWA |
Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement |
MHPAEA |
Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act |
MLR |
Medical Loss Ratio |
MSP |
Medicare Secondary Payer |
MSA |
Medical Savings Account (also known as an Archer MSA) |
NAIC |
National Association of Insurance Commissioners |
NHCE |
Non-highly Compensated Employee |
NMHPA |
Newborns' and Mothers' Health Protection Act |
OCR |
Office of Civil Rights |
OCIIO |
Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, now known as the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) |
OTC |
Over-the-counter Item or Drug |
PBM |
Pharmacy Benefit Manager |
PCE |
Preexisting Condition Exclusion |
PCOR Fee |
Patient-centered Outcomes Research Fee |
PCORI |
Patient-centered Outcomes Research Institute |
PEO |
Professional Employer Organization |
PHI |
Protected Health Information |
PPA |
Pension Protection Act of 2006 |
PPACA |
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act- aka Health Care Reform |
POP |
Premium Only Plan (Section 125 Cafeteria Plan) |
PPO |
Preferred Provider Organization |
PWBA |
Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration - now known as the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) |
QDRO |
Qualified Domestic Relations Order |
QMCSO |
Qualified Medical Child Support Order |
SAR |
Summary Annual Report |
SBC |
Summary of Benefits and Coverage |
SECURE Act |
Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 |
SHOP |
Small Business Health Options Program |
SMM |
Summary of Material Modifications |
SPD |
Summary Plan Description |
STD |
Short-term Disability |
TPA |
Third-Party Administrator |
USERRA |
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act |
VEBA |
Voluntary Employees' Beneficiary Association |
VFC |
Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program |
WHCRA |
Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act |