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CLIENT ALERT: Capitalizing on New Opportunity Zone Incentives to Spur Economic Development

Client Alert

Created as part of the recently passed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, “OPPORTUNITY ZONES” are designed to encourage long-term investments in underserved communities.  By offering tax benefits to private investors who choose to invest their capital at the nexus of need and opportunity, the program supports a broad array of investments and presents an opportunity for creative problem-solving strategies to address community needs.

THE PROGRAM BENEFIT

The program offers investors tiered tax benefits depending on the term of the investment, including a temporary deferral and partial reduction of capital gains, as well as the potential to exclude capital gain tax from future appreciation on the investment.  It is designed to tap into the estimated $6T+ of unrealized capital gains held by U.S. individuals and companies by incentivizing investors to re-invest that capital in low-income communities to spur economic development and job creation.

REQUIREMENTS FOR INVESTORS

In order to receive the entire 15% step-up in basis of the re-invested capital gain, which requires a full 7-year holding period prior to December 31, 2026, investors must make a qualifying investment by December 31, 2019.  Detailed regulations have been recently issued to provide new and helpful guidance.

BMD IS HERE TO HELP YOU

Our advisors have extensive experience structuring investment transactions and are uniquely positioned to help you achieve your business objectives by exploring the possibilities available to you through the Opportunity Zones. 

To learn more or to take advantage of the benefits, please contact Jason A. Butterworth or R. Kevin Saunders.  

 

 


The Ohio Board of Pharmacy’s Latest Batch of Rules: What Providers Should Know

The Ohio Board of Pharmacy released several new rules and proposed amendments to existing rules over the past month that will significantly impact pharmacy operations. Topics range from updates to the Terminal Distributor of Dangerous Drugs license to mobile clinics to mandatory rest breaks for pharmacists of outpatient pharmacies. A summary of the proposed changes is below, along with instructions for commenting on the rules. Your BMD healthcare attorney can help write comment letters and submit the comments on your behalf as well.

Employee or Independent Contractor? New Guidance Issued by the Department of Labor

On January 9, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its long-awaited final rule — effective March 11, 2024 — revising its prior interpretation of worker classifications under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The new final rule rescinds the standard previously established in 2021, in turn, shifting the analysis of whether a worker is an employee (versus an independent contractor) of a business from a more streamlined “economic reality” test to a more complex “totality of the circumstances” standard.

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).