Affordable Care Act, Department of Labor (DOL), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Year-End Health Benefits Roundup 2023

Alston & Bird on 12/7/2023

It was a lively year for health benefits. Our Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group unpacks 2023, from the end of the COVID-19 emergencies to the much-anticipated Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act...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

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

Federal Regulators Clarify the Application of HIPAA Privacy and Nondiscrimination Rules to COVID-19 Vaccines in the Workplace

Laner Muchin, Ltd. on 10/18/2021

On September 30, 2021, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued FAQs addressing how the HIPAA Privacy Rule applies to individuals’ disclosures of their COVID-19 vaccination status in the workplace and health...more

Federal Agencies Issue FAQ on Health Plan Premium Discounts for COVID-19 Vaccinations

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP on 10/15/2021

The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a set of Frequently Asked Questions about the interaction of HIPAA, the Affordable Care Act, and various group health plan issues relating to the COVID-19...more

Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury Clarify Rules Governing Premium Surcharges/Discounts Related to...

Mintz - Employment Viewpoints on 10/13/2021

The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury (the “Departments”) recently issued a set of Frequently Asked Questions—FAQs About Affordable Act Implementation, Part 50, Health Insurance Portability and...more

Health Plan Surcharge for Unvaccinated Employees: New Guidance Provides a Roadmap

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,... on 10/7/2021

Employers that are considering imposing health plan premium surcharges to encourage their employees to get vaccinated have clearer guidance on how to do so without running afoul of the nondiscrimination rules under the Health...more

2020 End of Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” List (Part 1) Health and Welfare

Snell & Wilmer on 9/28/2020

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

D.C. Circuit Upholds Short Term Plans as Alternative to ACA Plans

Troutman Pepper on 7/28/2020

On July 17, 2020, a panel majority of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a rule issued by the Department of Treasury, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services (collectively, the...more

December 2019 Client Advisory

Verrill on 12/18/2019

This Client Advisory highlights important developments in the law governing employee benefit plans and executive compensation over the past year. It offers insight into what these developments mean for employers and plan...more

2019 ERISA Welfare Plan Checklist

Bass, Berry & Sims PLC on 10/9/2019

We recognize that many of our clients sponsor ERISA welfare benefit plans and are currently undergoing their open enrollment process and issuing related participant communications. To assist our clients with that process, we...more

Digging into the New HRA Regulations Part 4: Excepted Benefit HRAs

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive... on 8/12/2019

New regulations issued by the Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services (the “Departments”) have expanded the use of health reimbursement arrangements (“HRAs”), including permitting the use of HRAs to...more

What the HRA is going on with HRAs?

Burr & Forman on 7/11/2019

On June 13, the Departments of Labor, Treasury and Health and Human Services jointly released final regulations dealing with health reimbursement accounts (“HRAs”). These regulations fulfill the Trump administration’s...more

Agencies Issue Final Regulations Expanding Access to Health Reimbursement Arrangements

Mintz - Employment Viewpoints on 7/11/2019

On June 13, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Labor (DOL), the Department of the Treasury (Treasury Department) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) (collectively, the “Departments”)...more

K&L Gates Triage: Triage in 2019: Health Care Topics to Watch in the New Year

K&L Gates LLP on 1/31/2019

As K&L Gates begins its third season of Triage: Rapid Legal Lessons for Busy Health Care Professionals, Hilary Bowman previews several topics that the health care practice group anticipates will have a significant impact on...more

2018 ERISA Welfare Plan Checklist

Bass, Berry & Sims PLC on 10/11/2018

We recognize that many of our clients sponsor ERISA welfare benefit plans and are currently undergoing their open enrollment process and issuing related participant communications. To assist our clients with that process, we...more

Association Health Plans – A New Frontier?

Snell & Wilmer on 7/2/2018

On June 21, 2018, the Department of Labor published the final association health plan (“AHP”) rule. 83 FR 28912 (June 21, 2018). The final rule is short, just shy of three pages in length (see page 28961 to 29964), and...more

DOL Issues Final Regulations on Association Health Plans - Employee Benefits Alert

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP on 6/25/2018

The Department of Labor (DOL) has issued final regulations and FAQs on association health plans (AHPs). The regulations broaden the definition of an “employer” under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The...more

Federal Court Nixes EEOC's Wellness Rules But Delays Effective Date

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP on 1/8/2018

In 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission adopted regulations that limit the amount of incentives employers can provide employees to participate in wellness programs under the companies’ group medical insurance...more

ERISA Newsletter - Third Quarter 2017

Proskauer Rose LLP on 10/4/2017

Editor's Overview - As we have observed on other occasions, the ERISA class action plaintiffs' bar has, for several years now, honed in on 401(k) plan fiduciaries and their decisions to select and retain investment options...more

Lawsuits Are Focused on Wellness Program Compliance. Are You?

Alston & Bird on 9/14/2017

Wellness programs are a win-win for everybody – until administrators run afoul of ambiguous rules and regulations. Our Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group analyzes two recent lawsuits that could impact program...more

ACA Retaliation Claim Survives Despite No Complaint About ACA Provisions

Proskauer - Whistleblower Defense on 6/8/2017

On April 28, 2017, the United States Department of Labor Administrative Review Board (“ARB”) allowed a whistleblower retaliation claim under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) to proceed even though the...more

Significantly More Information to Be Collected Under the Proposed Form 5500

Kilpatrick on 7/22/2016

If adopted, the changes would be effective for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2019. The revisions affecting pension plans, and details regarding changes to Schedules H and I that affect funded plans (such as...more

Employer Wellness Programs: ADA, ACA, and HIPAA Compliance

Zelle LLP on 7/11/2016

Employer wellness programs are a subject of much interest to employers and receive considerable scrutiny from the EEOC and Department of Labor. Employers want to lower their health care costs by improving the health of...more

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) › Department of Labor (DOL) › Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

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