Arkansas has become the first state in the nation to enact legislation, effective starting in 2026, prohibiting pharmacy benefit managers (PBM’s) from owning or operating actual pharmacies within the state. We take a look at...more
4/25/2025
/ Arkansas ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Drug Pricing ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
New Legislation ,
Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) ,
Prescription Drugs ,
State and Local Government
Seyfarth Synopsis: On September 9, 2024, the Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services (the “Departments”) released highly anticipated Final Rules under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity...more
9/30/2024
/ Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Final Rules ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Mental Health ,
Mental Health Parity Rule ,
MHPAEA ,
NQTLs ,
Proposed Rules ,
U.S. Treasury
The agencies have finalized a portion of their proposed rules impacting so-called “junk insurance” regarding short-term limited-duration insurance, but deferred finalizing the more significant changes that would have impacted...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Last week, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that cryogenically frozen embryos are children and are protected from destruction under state law. This is the latest in a series of post-Dobbs judicial rulings...more
2/28/2024
/ Abortion ,
AL Supreme Court ,
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Family Planning Clinics ,
Fertility Treatments ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Human Embryos ,
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) ,
Patient Access ,
Reproductive Healthcare Issues ,
Wrongful Death
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) requires group health plans and insurers to cover treatments for mental health and substance use disorders in a manner that is equitable to the...more
8/22/2023
/ Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
EBSA ,
Employee Benefits ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Mental Health ,
Mental Health Parity Rule ,
MHPAEA ,
NQTLs ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Proposed Rules ,
U.S. Treasury
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) requires group health plans and insurers to cover treatments for mental health and substance use disorders in a manner that is equitable to the...more
8/22/2023
/ Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Mental Health ,
MHPAEA ,
NQTLs ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Proposed Rules ,
Safe Harbors ,
U.S. Treasury
Seyfarth Synopsis: Employer health plan sponsors, administrators, and insurers have been eagerly awaiting the U.S. Department of Labor’s upcoming guidance on mental health parity. According to recent reports, newly proposed...more
The Obama administration continues to use its executive authority to expand societal inclusion of transgender individuals. On September 3, the Department of Health and Human Services issued proposed rules under Section 1557...more
9/16/2015
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Burwell v Hobby Lobby ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Gender Discrimination ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Hobby Lobby ,
LGBTQ ,
Obama Administration ,
Public Health Insurance Marketplace ,
SCOTUS ,
Sexual Orientation ,
Sexual Orientation Discrimination ,
Transgender
This is the ninety-first issue in our series of alerts for employers on selected topics in health care reform. This series of Health Care Reform Management Alerts is designed to provide an in-depth analysis of certain aspects...more