K&L Gates Triage: An Insider’s Perspective on the Health Care Debate in Washington, DC
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would rescind a 2018 DOL rule entitled “Definition of Employee – Association Health Plans,”...more
In the opening days of his administration, President Biden has signed a flurry of Executive Orders impacting multiple sectors of the U.S. economy. This article summarizes the Orders that impact employee benefits and...more
On April 29, 2019, the United States Department of Labor (the “DOL”) released a policy statement providing transitional relief from the potential adverse consequences arising from a District Court’s vacating portions of the...more
On March 28, 2019, the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia issued an opinion and order vacating key portions of the Department of Labor’s regulation, published in June 2018, which had expanded the definition...more
On Friday, March 28, 2019, U.S. District Judge John D. Bates rejected the Trump Administration’s proposal for association health plans (AHP). ...more
This is the one hundred and nineteenth issue in our series of alerts for employers on selected topics on health care reform. ...more
A recent ruling by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia calls into question the recently expanded regulations allowing small employers to band together to establish Association Health Plans....more
A federal court struck down key portions of the new association health plan (AHP) regulations last week, just days before the fledgling rules for self-insured medical plans were slated to go into effect regarding...more
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has set aside the most significant portions of the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) regulations on Association Health Plans (AHPs)....more
The Affordable Care Act returned to the front page this weekend when a federal district court in Texas issued an opinion striking down the entire law as unconstitutional. ...more
On December 14, 2018, a Texas federal court declared the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA) unconstitutional. Despite this broad holding (and clickbait headlines), employers should not expect to see any significant changes to...more
Last year, the President issued an Executive Order directing the Secretary of the Department of Labor (DOL) to issue regulations to expand access to association health plans (AHPs). Earlier this year, the DOL issued final...more
In a summary of the recently issued Association Health Plan (AHP) final regulations, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) rightly observed that AHPs are a species of multi-employer welfare arrangements, or MEWAs, that are...more
This is the third article in our series on Association Health Plans (AHP). This week’s discussion focuses on the mixed reaction to the recent Department of Labor (DOL) AHP. In the health benefits market, some state-based...more
New guidance helps plan sponsors and employers manage and operate AHPs - The Department of Labor (DOL) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently released guidance related to the DOL's June 28th final rule on association...more
Department of Labor Issues Final Rule that Expands Association Health Plans - On June 21, 2018, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued a final rule that establishes additional...more
The U.S. Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services have jointly issued final rules modifying the definition of short-term, limited-duration insurance (STLDI). STLDI provides health coverage that is...more
As we advised was likely during our June 29, 2019 webinar, Association Health Plans—Are They Really an Option to Consider?, at least two states were likely to challenge the enforceability of the new regulations issued by the...more
Under a recent Department of Labor ruling, franchise business owners that band together to form Association Health Plans are precluded from joint-employer liability that may arise from that relationship....more
On June 19, 2018, the Trump administration finalized a rule that will enable small businesses and self-employed individuals to band together to offer access to large group health plans, which are typically less expensive (but...more
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
The Department of Labor has issued a final rule that adopts a new regulation at 29 CFR 2510.3-5 that will allow an expansion of Association Health Plans (AHPs) by revising the definition of who can qualify as an “employer”...more
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
• The Federal Register published a final rule promulgated by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) regarding association health plans (AHPs). AHPs are group health plans established by groups or associations of employers that...more
Following last fall’s Executive Order 13813, which directs regulatory agencies to improve access to affordable employer coverage, the Department of Labor (DOL) recently released the final regulations on small business...more