Affordable Care Act, Department of Labor (DOL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Federal Rules Limit “Junk” Health Plans

Rivkin Radler LLP on 4/5/2024

On March 28, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury collectively issued final rules with respect to short-term and limited duration insurance (STLDI) plans in an effort to reduce healthcare...more

ACA-Required Coverage of Contraceptive Care Remains Agency Focus

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,... on 3/7/2024

Once again, the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury have issued guidance on the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) required coverage of contraception without cost sharing, clarifying the permitted...more

Agencies Update Guidance on Group Health Plan Contraceptive Coverage Requirements

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive... on 2/15/2024

The Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services (the “Departments”) recently issued guidance for group health plans outlining a “therapeutic equivalence” medical management technique for required preventive...more

2023 End-of-Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” Lists (Part 1) Health and Welfare

Snell & Wilmer on 10/12/2023

We are pleased to present our annual End of Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” Lists. This year, we present our “To Do” Lists in four separate Employee Benefits Updates. This Part 1 covers year-end health and welfare plan issues....more

The ‘No More Restrictive’ Requirement for NQTLs Under the Proposed MHPAEA Regulations

McDermott Will & Emery on 8/29/2023

We previously reported on proposed regulations under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). If adopted in final form, these regulations would vastly complicate compliance by group health plans and health...more

New FAQs Address No Surprises Act Impact on ACA Maximum Out-of-Pocket Limits and Facility Fee Transparency

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 8/3/2023

Employers should be aware that the No Surprises Act has an impact on the maximum-out-of-pocket ("MOOP") limit for annual cost-sharing under the Affordable Care Act ("ACA") and facility fee transparency. The new set of...more

Agencies Issue FAQs on Surprise Billing and Cost-Sharing Rules Coordination

McDermott Will & Emery on 7/25/2023

A recent article by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and National Public Radio (NPR) raised the prospect that patients may still see surprise medical bills despite the enactment of the No Surprises Act (NSA)....more

High Deductible Health Plan First Dollar Coverages in Flux

Foley & Lardner LLP on 7/21/2023

A recent string of lawsuits, regulatory guidance, and market trends have dramatically impacted the types of services that enjoy first dollar coverage under high deductible health plan (HDHP) and health savings account (HSA)...more

Comprehending the Non-Comprehensive: Proposed Rules Tackle Non-Traditional Coverage

Ballard Spahr LLP on 7/21/2023

The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury have published a set of proposed rules that impose new limits on two types of benefits: short-term limited-duration insurance (STLDI) and fixed indemnity...more

Meet Me at the Corner of No Surprises and …

Ballard Spahr LLP on 7/21/2023

Summary - The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury have issued guidance that coordinates application of the No Surprise Billing rules under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, with the...more

Navigating the Wild West of the New ACA Preventative Care Ruling

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on 5/12/2023

On March 30, Judge Reed O’Connor of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued a decision in Braidwood Management Inc. v. Becerra (“Braidwood”), invalidating the Affordable Care Act’s (“ACA’s”) mandate...more

Federal Court Blocks Enforcement of Some ACA Preventive Health Service Requirements: What Plan Sponsors Should Consider

Dickinson Wright on 5/8/2023

In a March 2023 ruling, a Texas federal district court vacated all actions taken by the Departments of Labor (“DOL”), Health and Human Services (“HHS”), and Treasury (collectively, the “Departments”) to implement or enforce...more

Preventive Care in a Post-Braidwood World: Agencies Release Guidance on Preventive Services Coverage Requirements

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive... on 4/26/2023

The Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services (the “Departments”) recently released guidance for group health plans on required preventive services coverage. The guidance was issued in response to a...more

FAQs Address ACA Preventive Care Questions Post-Braidwood

Seyfarth Shaw LLP on 4/24/2023

Seyfarth Synopsis: The Tri-Agencies issued Frequently Asked Questions addressing the impact of the Braidwood decision on the ACA’s preventive care mandate, including guidance on certain preventive care services that must...more

Departments Issue Guidance on Preventive Services under the ACA Following the Braidwood Decision

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP on 4/21/2023

In light of the March 30 Braidwood Mgmt. Inc. v. Becerra decision, the Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, and Department of the Treasury (the “departments”) have issued FAQ guidance on how the...more

FAQs Provide Guidance on Preventive Care

Ballard Spahr LLP on 4/19/2023

Summary - The Departments of Labor, the Treasury, and Health and Human Services have jointly issued FAQs that address the requirement to cover the full cost of certain preventive care services in view of the recent ruling...more

Tri-Agencies Address Preventive Services Coverage in the Wake of Braidwood

McDermott Will & Emery on 4/18/2023

In response to Braidwood Mgmt. Inc. v. Becerra, a recent case striking down part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) preventive services mandate, the US Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury...more

It’s a Roller Coaster … Employer Considerations After Court Invalidates ACA Preventive Care Mandate

Holland & Hart - The Benefits Dial on 4/7/2023

Since the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) became law in 2010, numerous groups have attempted to invalidate the ACA or specific parts of the ACA through litigation. Even after a number of plaintiffs unsuccessfully attempted to...more

Proposed Universal Contraceptive Coverage in Response to Roe Reversal

McDermott Will & Emery on 2/9/2023

The US Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury (the Departments) recently issued a proposed rule (the proposed rule) to eliminate a moral exemption to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) contraceptive mandate...more

When Will the Pandemic End for Employer-Sponsored Health Plans?

Laner Muchin, Ltd. on 8/29/2022

While many in the U.S. have attempted to resume a sense of normalcy despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, for employer-sponsored health plans, special “emergency” pandemic rules and extensions remain in effect. As previously...more

Federal Agencies Issue Firm Reminder that No-Cost Coverage Requirements for Employee Contraceptives Remain Post-Roe

Foley & Lardner LLP on 8/9/2022

On July 28, 2022, in light of the United States Supreme Court’s recent decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the United States Department of Labor (DOL), in conjunction with the Departments of Health and Human Services (“HHS”)...more

Beltway Buzz - August 2022

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,... on 8/8/2022

Senate Scrambles Ahead of Summer Escape. While members of the U.S. House of Representatives returned home for the August congressional recess, the U.S. Senate remained in Washington, D.C., this week to wrap up some...more

HHS, DOL, and Treasury Give Employer-Sponsored Health Plans Another Warning on Providing Contraceptive Coverage

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,... on 8/5/2022

Employers can’t say they weren’t warned. For the second time in six months, frequently asked question (FAQ) guidance from federal regulators is calling attention to the requirement that employer-sponsored health...more

OFCCP Week In Review: August 2022

DirectEmployers Association on 8/1/2022

The DE OFCCP Week in Review (WIR) is a simple, fast and direct summary of relevant happenings in the OFCCP regulatory environment, authored by experts John C. Fox, Candee Chambers and Cynthia L. Hackerott. In today’s edition,...more

Transparency in Coverage Enforcement

Jackson Lewis P.C. on 5/2/2022

On April 19, 2022, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury issued additional guidance under the Transparency in Coverage Final Rules issued in 2020. The guidance, FAQs About Affordable Care Act...more

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) › Department of Labor (DOL) › Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

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