PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion - Can Employers Impose a Health Insurance Surcharge on Plan Participants Not Vaccinated for COVID-19?
AGG Talks: Solving Employers’ Problems - Health Plan Premium Surcharges for the Unvaccinated: Are They Legal and How Do They Work?
A medical plan surcharge for the COVID-19 unvaccinated is workable, but complex. To implement such a surcharge, plan sponsors need to make sure they take several steps. Here is a handy checklist... ...more
On October 4, 2021, the US Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services (the Tri-Agencies) issued guidance regarding the application of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) wellness...more
With rising rates of COVID-19 cases in the past few months, employers have been increasingly interested in exploring incentives designed to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates among employees. One idea that has been gaining...more
Employers that are considering imposing health plan premium surcharges to encourage their employees to get vaccinated have clearer guidance on how to do so without running afoul of the nondiscrimination rules under the Health...more
As employers consider implementing a vaccine mandate to encourage employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19, we have recently discussed the merits of imposing a “vaccine surcharge” on monthly health insurance premiums for...more
In light of the lingering COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on employee productivity and health care expenses, employers are considering imposing a premium surcharge on employees participating in the company’s health plan who...more
When the vaccines became widely available this past spring, employers contemplated offering incentives such as cash payments, extra paid time off and discounts on health insurance premiums to entice employees to get...more
Imposing Group Health Plan Monthly Surcharges on the Unvaccinated - Calling it “a more-punitive approach toward getting its workforce vaccinated against Covid-19,” the Wall Street Journal recently reported that Delta...more
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt explores compliance considerations for employers who are considering imposing a health insurance surcharge on plan participants who are not...more
The recent announcement that Delta Airlines will begin imposing a $200 per month health insurance surcharge on unvaccinated employees has prompted many employers to consider whether a similar surcharge may be an alternative...more
Many employers are struggling to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates among their workforce, concerned not only about both the safety of the workforce but also the costs of COVID-19 treatment that could be avoided through...more
The number of U.S. workers choosing to be vaccinated plateaued earlier this summer. As a result, employers, many of which hoped to return employees to the workplace in early fall, were left to debate whether to require...more
According to Forbes.com, more employers are considering imposing a premium surcharge on employees participating in the company’s health plan who are not vaccinated for COVID-19. Whether positioned as rewards or penalties,...more