The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently issued final regulations implementing Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which will restore and expand the scope of civil rights...more
Fiduciary committees have long been established in connection with retirement plans to manage the investment, legal compliance, and operational risks that can arise under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,...more
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA), requires group health plans and insurers to annually attest that they are in compliance with the gag clause prohibition under the CAA. The first attestation is due no later...more
A recently issued White House Fact Sheet, along with a regulatory package from the US Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services (the Departments), provides some welcome clarity for plan sponsors and...more
The US Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services (the Departments) recently unveiled a proposed rule intended to increase mental health coverage through expanded plan oversight and enforcement...more
In the case of Texas Medical Ass'n, et al. v. US Department of Health and Human Services, et al., the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on February 23 invalidated portions of the second interim final rule...more
The US Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services (the Departments) along with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued Requirements Related to Surprise Billing; Part I on July 1. ...more
The Internal Revenue Service issued Notice 2021-31, providing the much-anticipated guidance plan sponsors, multiemployer plans, and COBRA administrators have been waiting for related to the COBRA subsidy provisions under the...more
5/21/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Biden Administration ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Benefits ,
Health and Welfare Plans ,
Health Insurance ,
Infectious Diseases ,
IRS ,
New Legislation ,
Premium Subsidies ,
Relief Measures ,
Tax Credits
As we described in our March 15, 2021 LawFlash, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) includes a 100% COBRA premium subsidy for any employee or dependent who is a COBRA qualified beneficiary ...more
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 includes a COBRA premium subsidy and increases the dependent care flexible spending account (DCFSA) limits. While the availability of the COBRA premium subsidy is a requirement, the...more
3/16/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Biden Administration ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Dependent Care ,
Employee Benefits ,
Health and Welfare Plans ,
Health Insurance ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Legislation ,
Relief Measures
As we described in our LawFlash from last spring, the US Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) (collectively, the Agencies) issued EBSA Notice 2020-01...more
As we addressed in our recent LawFlash covering the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Act), the Act includes several requirements to enhance group health plan transparency. One provision we wanted to further highlight...more
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Act) that was signed into law on December 27, 2020 contains provisions impacting employer sponsored group health plans, including protecting group health plan participants from...more
With broad bipartisan support, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act or Act), signed into law by the president on March 27, provides a $2 trillion economic stimulus and contains numerous and...more
4/7/2020
/ CARES Act ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Defined Benefit Plans ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Federal Loans ,
Financial Stimulus ,
Health Insurance ,
Payroll Taxes ,
Relief Measures ,
Required Minimum Distributions ,
Retirement Plan ,
Tax Relief
Autonomous cars, sports betting, and CBD products have burst onto the scene, setting the stage for major developments in how companies do business and how regulators monitor new innovations....more
2/10/2020
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Appropriations Bill ,
Automotive Industry ,
Big Data ,
Bioengineering ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
CFIUS ,
Covered Transactions ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Cross-Border Transactions ,
Cyber Attacks ,
Cybersecurity ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Final Rules ,
FIRRMA ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Food Labeling ,
Food Safety ,
Food Supply ,
Foreign Investment ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Marijuana ,
Medicaid ,
Medical Foods ,
National Security ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pipelines ,
Plant Based Products ,
Recreational Use ,
Retail Market ,
Sports Betting ,
Sports Gambling ,
Standard Essential Patents ,
Taxation ,
USDA
Employers should note upcoming cafeteria plan design changes that require an amendment no later than December 31, 2014 and other upcoming 2015 action items....more