Effective January 15, 2022, health plans are required to cover the cost of over-the-counter (“OTC”) COVID-19 test kits obtained without a health care provider’s prescription or clinical assessment. This new requirement was...more
1/14/2022
/ Compensation & Benefits ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Cost-Sharing ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Medical Reimbursement ,
New Regulations ,
Over The Counter Drugs (OTC) ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
Cybersecurity is by no means a new issue for employee benefit plans subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). Still, until recently, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) had not directly...more
As described in our March 15, 2021 update, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the “Act”) created a temporary, 100% subsidy for assistance-eligible individuals’ premium payments for continuation health care coverage under...more
4/20/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Biden Administration ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
EBSA ,
Employee Benefits ,
Health and Welfare Plans ,
Health Insurance ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Legislation ,
Premium Subsidies ,
Relief Measures ,
Tax Credits
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the “Act”). As part of the almost $2 trillion in relief, the Act contains provisions creating a temporary subsidy for premium payments...more
New guidance issued by the Department of Labor, Internal Revenue Service, and Health and Human Services requires group health plans to disregard certain timeframes and deadlines related to...more
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) and the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) issued new guidance and rules pertaining to retirement plans. ...more
For many employees, contributing to a retirement plan is often easier said than done. This is especially true for employees who enter the workforce with significant student loan debt. ...more
Blockchain-based patent applications started as a trickle, beginning with a few applications being filed in 2014. It has now exploded, with a few big filers jumping into the market in hopes of creating licensing opportunities...more
After several years of uncertainty surrounding enforcement of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act of 2010’s so-called “employer mandate,” the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has begun assessing penalty notices for the...more
In light of the recent settlement between the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and a health plan third-party administrator (TPA), plan fiduciaries and TPAs should re-examine, or even re-negotiate, portions of their current TPA...more