Understanding Pharmacy Benefit Managers: The PBM Landscape Explained
DOJ’s New Self-Disclosure Policy and Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program
AGG Talks: Healthcare Insights Podcast - Episode 4: What to Do When Insurance Companies Deny Behavioral Health Claims
Video: Braidwood v. Becerra – Challenging the Affordable Care Act’s Preventive Services Coverage Provision – Thought Leaders in Health Law
Updates to Statute 1557 that Healthcare Providers Need to Know
The No Surprises Act: A Cost Saving Opportunity for Employer Plan Sponsors
Podcast: Health Equity – Behind the Buzzwords – Diagnosing Health Care
Opting Out of Medicare: When and How to Do It
The Burr Broadcast April 2023 - The Official End of COVID-19 Emergencies
Video: Health Care's Past, Present, and Future - Diagnosing Health Care Podcast
Taking the Pulse, A Health Care and Life Sciences Video Podcast | Episode 117: Chris Severn, Co-Founder & CEO, Turquoise Health
Taking the Pulse, A Health Care and Life Sciences Video Podcast | Episode 115: Dr. Michael Havig, CEO, HealthMe
Taking the Pulse, A Health Care and Life Sciences Video Podcast | Episode 106: Dr. James McElligott, MUSC & Dr. Shawn Stinson, BlueCross BlueShield of SC
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion - Health Plan Transparency Requirements
Thinking About a Concierge Medical Practice? Assure Compliance with Payor Requirements and the Law
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion - New Prescription Drug and Health Coverage Reporting Requirements
Video: Getting Ready for the No Surprises Act - Thought Leaders in Health Law
Podcast: What Is the Future of the Acute Care Hospital Industry? - Diagnosing Health Care
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion - Can Employers Impose a Health Insurance Surcharge on Plan Participants Not Vaccinated for COVID-19?
Compliance Into The Weeds - Delta Airlines Responds to the Delta Variant
On May 31, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit published an opinion in Bristol SL Holdings Inc. v. Cigna Health and Life Insurance Co., which has significant implications for the healthcare industry. Originally...more
If you employ part-time workers and/or engage independent contractors, sit up and take note: 2024 will bring significant changes to how you manage your workforce. The US Department of Labor’s revised Independent Contractor...more
The first complaint was filed in what is expected to be a wave of litigation alleging breach of fiduciary duty in selecting and monitoring welfare plan vendors. While the facts of this particular case may make it somewhat...more
As the year is quickly coming to an end, it is critical that plan sponsors set time aside to review their operational and administrative practices throughout the year. As appropriate, operational errors may be corrected and...more
The interaction between employer-provided retiree medical coverage and COBRA is complex. Many employers incorrectly assume they do not have to offer COBRA at retirement if they offer a retiree medical plan or a retiree health...more
Any employers muddling through the most confounding labor shortage the construction industry has seen in decades probably have already seen dozens of articles with advice on how to best attract, incentivize, and retain...more
On March 9, 2023, President Biden released his budget for Fiscal Year 2024. Similar to proposals in its last budget, the Administration’s new budget proposes a number of major tax increases, including the following:...more
A recent IRS letter ruling provides helpful clarification on the interaction of in-service distributions to active employees (Code section 401(a)(36)) and the requirement that Code section 401(h) accounts provide only retiree...more
We recognize that many companies 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 prepared an...more
Every day I counsel employers on a variety of issues related to all flavors of employee benefit plans and programs, big and small – and often more complex than they might first appear. ...more
ERISA makes clear that it governs “any plan, fund, or program … established … by an employer … for the purpose of providing [health benefits] for its participants.” 29 U.S.C. § 1002(1). Although most employee benefit plans...more
Worker classification is an area of major concern for employers of all sizes. Misclassification of workers as independent contractors has labor and employment ramifications as well as employee benefits ramifications. Guidance...more
The February Monthly Minute examines the DOL’s recent focus on mental health parity compliance, the Hughes vs. Northwestern University retirement plan fee litigation, and the latest COVID-19 testing coverage guidance....more
With the end of the year fast approaching, employers should be aware of several important deadlines and considerations related to retirement and health and welfare plans. With the onslaught of recent COVID-19-related...more
As the year draws to a close, it is helpful for employers to pause to evaluate employee benefit plan amendment deadlines and other crucial fourth quarter considerations, including:...more
ARPA provides that, for the period from April 1, 2021 until September 30, 2021, if an individual’s Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (“COBRA”) qualifying event is an involuntary termination of employment or a...more
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the “ARPA”) into law. Many of the provisions in this sweeping legislation bring changes to the employee benefits world of which employers should...more
The Consolidated Appropriation Act of 2021 was signed into law on December 27, 2020 and is an impressive 5,593 pages. According to the Senate Historical Office, the Act is the longest bill ever passed by Congress. Buried...more
Please join us for BakerHostetler’s Unprecedented: The State of Labor Relations and Employment Law Master Class. Our 8th Annual Master Class will be virtual, due to the pandemic, and it will still offer all new high-level...more
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
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (“Act”), signed by President Trump on December 27, 2020, contains several provisions affecting employee benefits....more
On December 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the CAA), a second stimulus package and the most recent of several major pieces of legislation to be enacted since the start of...more
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the “Act”) was signed by the President on December 27, 2020, to provide additional COVID-related relief. The Act has a number of provisions that are relevant to retirement plans...more
Federal agencies recently announced cost-of-living adjustments on Social Security taxable earnings and maximum benefits, limits on compensation and deferrals for retirement plans, and limits on health and welfare plans....more
The IRS has announced adjusted benefit plan limits for 2021. These adjustments reflect inflation, and are important for administrators of employee retirement and health plans. The limit on 401(k) and 403(b) plan elective...more