How Does King v. Burwell Decision Affect the Affordable Care Act?
Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, or any combination thereof, in a health program or activity, any part of which is...more
In its November 2023 Proposed Rule and in its recently issued Final Rule that will be published in the Federal Register later this month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) addressed concerns related to agent...more
THIS WEEK’S DOSE President Releases FY 2025 Budget: The budget requests $130.7 billion in discretionary spending for the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for fiscal year (FY) 2025. House Ways & Means Committee...more
On November 24, 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) published a proposed rule to modify certain Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”)...more
Presented below is our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of October 3, 2022 – October 7, 2022...more
Pursuant to Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, federal agencies and departments, including HHS, have recently released their plans to advance...more
Ohio’s Surprise Billing Law, R.C. § 3902.51, became effective January 12, 2022, but its impact on health plans is still evolving. The law strives to prevent patients from receiving and paying surprise medical bills,...more
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released its Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for the 2023 Proposed Rule on Wednesday, January 5th 2022. ...more
On October 20, 2021, HHS published in the Federal Register a proposal to repeal two final rules issued during the Trump administration. The final rules up for repeal are the “Department of Health and Human Services Good...more
As described in our previous alert, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the ARPA), provides a full subsidy for COBRA premiums for certain qualified beneficiaries entitled to COBRA continuation coverage from April 1, 2021,...more
On January 28, 2021, President Biden signed the “Executive Order on Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act” which, among other things, ordered a special enrollment period (SEP) for the federal Health Insurance...more
In Washington: Tuesday, Senate Republicans met with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to discuss the next coronavirus relief bill. After the meeting, Mnuchin said, “we’re going to take our time and make sure that we’re...more
Employers and employees are continually feeling the pinch of rising health care costs. 2020 provides a potentially better approach to consider: Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs)....more
Starting this week in Miami, 20 Democrats over the course of two nights will try to make the case that they deserve to be elected President. Now what will they and Republicans have to say about health care, which voters have...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
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) Determination of Need (DoN) Program has proposed a number of changes to the DoN Regulations (105 CMR 100.000, et. seq.). Program Director Nora Mann presented the proposed...more
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued new versions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Notices of Exchanges. The ACA requires employers to provide employees with a written notice that contains information about the...more
We have recently seen an uptick in state initiatives designed to skirt requirements under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). We last wrote about Idaho’s failed attempt to permit health insurers to sell noncompliant plans, which...more
On Monday, CMS published a number of policies changing the dynamics of the individual market, including the Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2019 Final Rule, guidance on hardship exemptions, and a bulletin on transitional...more
“We’re going to have to get back next year at entitlement reform, which is how you tackle the debt and the deficit” Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House. Happy New Year!?! - 2017 was an eventful year for health care, and...more
On November 2, Humana filed a lawsuit in the United States Court of Federal Claims to recover approximately $600 million allegedly owed by the United States government. See Humana Inc. v. U.S., case number 1:17-cv-01664. ...more
The fifth Open Enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) started on November 1st, and will continue for a scant 45 days ending on December 15, 2017. This year, not only has the Open Enrollment been cut in half,...more
With open enrollment in full swing for many employers, now is a good time to review employee benefit communications. Plan sponsors of health plans are generally responsible for properly administering all of the health plan...more
After a brief lull in activity, recent developments are likely to involve all three branches of government in addressing issues under the Affordable Care Act....more
Thursday, October 12th, on the heels of the recent and repeated failures to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), President Donald Trump signed an executive order nominally aimed at increasing competition in the...more