Preparing Employers and Employees for 2021 Benefit Plans Decisions
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated its guidance on the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022’s (P.L. 117-169) (IRA) Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (M3P) with its release of the Final Part One Guidance on...more
Your Health, Your Choice: A Guide to Medicare Open Enrollment - The Medicare open enrollment period runs through December 7th, 2023. Medicare adjusts costs, coverage, and accepted providers on an annual basis. If you have...more
The Medicare open enrollment period runs through December 7th, 2023. Medicare adjusts costs, coverage, and accepted providers on an annual basis. If you have received “Evidence of Coverage,” or an “Annual Notice of Change,”...more
On November 2, 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its 2024 Physician Fee Schedule final rule (Final Rule) for calendar year 2024 that will, in part, implement some of the most important changes...more
Employers, this is your annual reminder that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires sponsors of group health plans to notify eligible individuals whether the employer’s prescription drug coverage is...more
This August, a working group sponsored by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (the "NAIC") unanimously approved revisions to the NAIC's Unfair Trade Practices Act Model #880 (the "Model Law") to restrain...more
Medicare’s open enrollment period is just a few weeks away, and it is not too early to start thinking about your coverage options. One benefit area that Medicare recipients often overlook is long term rehabilitation coverage....more
Every year Medicare gives beneficiaries a window of opportunity to shop around and determine if their current Medicare plan is still the best one for them. During Medicare's Open Enrollment Period, which runs from October 15...more
Medicare's Open Enrollment Period, during which you can freely enroll in or switch plans, runs from October 15 to December 7. Now is the time to start shopping around to see whether your current choices are still the best...more
This week in Washington: House to hold a markup of five healthcare bills, as well as a hearing to seek clarity on the Trump administration's health care policy choices; Senate to discuss solutions to the substance misuse...more
The Medicare Open Enrollment window for 2020 runs from October 15, 2019 until December 7, 2019. Individuals who prefer not to have responsibility for out of pocket costs might consider enrolling in a Medicare Part F plan,...more
You are turning 65 and enrolling in Medicare, but as a healthy senior do you really need to also sign up for Medicare's supplemental coverage? Not signing up initially can be very costly down the road. Medicare pays for...more
Anticipating open enrollment season for coverage in 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released coverage and premium information that will factor into consumer decisions about Medicare and individual...more
For Americans and their health coverage, October and November will be a time to remember. And act. The season is upon us when it pays to learn the critical facts about your current health insurance coverage and your...more
As a continuation of the recent drug pricing developments tied the Trump Administration’s American Patients First Blueprint, beginning January 1, 2019, Medicare Advantage plans will be able to apply step therapy for...more
Uncertainty and pressures continue to mount for healthcare providers, creating a new operating environment – Uncertainty around Medicaid and other programs, the shift to value-based care, margin pressures, the need to search...more
Are you happy with your current Medicare plan or plans? Now is the time to think about whether you are in the right plan or whether a new plan could save you money. Medicare's Open Enrollment Period, in which you can enroll...more
In an effort to stabilize the Exchanges and encourage issuer participation, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently extended the federal Exchange application and rate filing deadlines and published a...more
This Week: The President took a victory lap in Wisconsin, announcing that 20 million people have gained health insurance through the Affordable Care Act... That figure includes people newly covered through insurance...more
November has become more than the month devoted to families and feasting: It’s now the start of the season when Americans try like heck to avoid becoming health insurance turkeys. Open enrollment periods are under way — for...more
Are you happy with your Medicare coverage? Could you get a better plan for less money? It is time to review whether your plan or plans are working for you. Medicare's open enrollment period, in which you can enroll in or...more
Ways & Means Leadership Changes – Health Policy Implications Looming: As Congress pushes forward with a two-year budget deal, and new Speaker Paul Ryan begins his tenure as the top Republican in the House of...more
Bicameral Bill Introduced to Provide HHS Authority to Reject Proposed Insurance Rates - Before Congress left for its Columbus Day recess, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) introduced the Health...more
For many people, autumn is the season for enrollment in a medical insurance plan. Everyone, whether you’re 25 or 85, whether you’re covered through an employer plan, a state insurance exchange, private insurance or Medicare,...more
As you get ready to turn 65, you may be inundated with information about Medicare. All this information is confusing, but it is important to do your research before choosing your plan. If you aren’t fully informed, you could...more