This post was also written by Ruth Holzman, Angelo Ciavarella, Jeffrey Kaylor, and Vicky Gormanly.

On November 29, 2010, the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) issued Notice 2010-71, 2010-50 IRB (the “Notice”), which provides guidance on the calculation of the annual fee imposed on certain manufacturers and importers of branded prescription drugs for calendar years beginning after December 31, 2010, pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (collectively, the Affordable Care Act or the “ACA”). Reed Smith Tax and LSHI attorneys have prepared an analysis of the guidance which provides background on the annual fee and a summary of the information contained in the Notice. While the Notice provides a solid starting point for IRS guidance, there are nevertheless areas of ambiguity that companies will need to evaluate. Please click here to view our full alert.