Is the qualified charitable transfers for IRAs still an option?

Yes. As part of the PATH Act, signed into law on December 18, 2015, the tax-free treatment applies to transfers from IRAs to public charities up to $100,000 per year by those age 70-1/2 and older applies for 2015 and future years; the exclusion has been made permanent. However, if someone failed to make such a transfer in 2015, there is no grace period; tax-free transfers for these people will have to wait until 2016.