Behind the Curtain: Enhanced Provider Enrollment Oversight
In an exclusive webinar produced by Ward and Smith, two attorneys coached participants through the changing landscape of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). In addition to reviewing new guidance recently published by the NCAA,...more
On June 29, 2023, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed House Bills 579 and 2296 into law, enacting sweeping changes to Illinois health insurance law that grants the Illinois Department of Insurance (IDOI) expanded regulatory powers....more
The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (“PHE”) and National Emergency (“NE”) have been in place since early 2020. In January 2023, President Biden stated his intention for both to end on May 11, 2023. There have been many...more
After a long three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Biden administration has announced its intent to end the presidential COVID-19 national emergency on May 11, 2023. Employers should prepare their benefit plans for a...more
In a case of first impression for the court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit recently ruled that an insurer owes a fiduciary duty under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to all...more
On March 29, 2022, the House of Representatives passed the Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2022 (“SECURE 2.0”, HR 2954). The vote was largely supported by both parties (414-5). The Senate will likely act on the bill...more
Section 405 of the Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) provides for joint liability for co-fiduciaries of a pension, health or welfare benefit plan. ...more
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provides for health insurance premium subsidies of 100% for eligible former employees from April 1, 2021 to Sept. 30, 2021, and a special enrollment period for previously terminated...more
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) was signed into law March 11, 2021. Particularly relevant to employers are its provisions regarding premium subsidies and additional enrollment rights for certain individuals in...more
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the “ARPA”), which President Biden is expected to sign this week, includes a handful of provisions affecting employee benefit plans and publicly-traded companies’ tax deductions for...more
Two days before the one-year anniversary of the official start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the US Department of Labor (DOL) issued a last-minute notice clarifying its prior guidance that relaxed the deadlines for the Employee...more
We recognize that many of our readers sponsor ERISA welfare benefit plans and are currently undergoing their open enrollment process and issuing related participant communications. To assist with that process, we have...more
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have gotten daily calls and emails from our clients asking how furloughs, layoffs, the CARES Act, and a host of other pandemic-related changes affect the benefit plans that they...more
As we get ready for 2020 (and beyond) here are five hot employee benefits ideas to implement in order to make your employee benefit plan administration easier...more
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
How 401(k) Plan Sponsors Should Deal With Plan Enrollment/Education Meetings. These meetings shouldn't be forgotten. Plan sponsors are constantly inundated by articles and plan providers talking about issues dealing...more
The Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (the ORPP), will be a provincially-managed plan that, like the Canada Pension Plan, will be funded by equal co-contributions from both employers and employees. It will come into effect as...more