IRS Lets Employers Give Workers a Break on FSA Contributions, Health Plan Rules
New guidance from the Internal Revenue Service allows employers to temporarily give their employees extra benefits leeway in making changes to their flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and health savings accounts (HSAs). The guidance, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, also allows
The Top Five Health Conditions Driving Insurance Costs
A new study has identified the top five health conditions that are driving the overall cost of group health plan outlays, and without which spending would actually be falling. The report is enlightening, and employers can use the findings to offer
Generics and Biosimilars the Key to Reducing Drug Spending
The soaring cost of new prescription drugs is becoming a major driver in overall health insurance price increases, and some of those drugs are so expensive that they are out of reach for the average patient. When people can't afford the
CMS Approves Medicare Coverage of ‘Breakthrough’ Medical Devices
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has issued new rules that require Medicare to cover medical devices that the Food and Drug Administration designates as "breakthrough" technology. The rule paves the way for giving Medicare recipients access to the latest
EEOC Issues New COVID-19 Vaccination Guidelines for Employers
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has affirmed that employers can mandate COVID-19 vaccines for employees, subject to some limitations. The EEOC’s updated guidance offers direction regarding employer-mandated vaccinations, accommodations for employees who cannot be vaccinated due to a disability or sincerely
How a New Law Affects Group Health Plans
The newly enacted Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 contains a number of provisions that will affect group health plans, with most changes aimed at helping insured workers with flexible spending accounts (FSAs), cost transparency and surprise billing. Some of the provisions are
Changes for 2021 Summary of Benefits and Coverage
There are new Summary of Benefits and Coverage notice requirements for health plans starting with the 2021 coverage year. The requirements, released by the Department of Labor, have new model templates, new instructions and new information that affects the coverage examples
COVID-19 Relief Bill Extends Unemployment Benefits, PPP and More
The $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill, passed by Congress and signed into law on Dec. 27, includes a number of provisions that affect employers and their workers in terms of paid sick leave and Emergency Family and Medical Leave Act
Leveraging HSAs to Help Your Staff Manage Health Care Costs
With the COVID-19 pandemic weighing on employers and employees alike, businesses can help their staff by leveraging health savings accounts to pay for out-of-pocket expenses. Congress in 2020 untethered HSAs and flexible spending accounts by changing the rules that prohibited account
New Law Bans Surprise Billing
Part of the COVID-19 relief package that Congress passed in late December includes a notable provision that bans surprise medical bills when out-of-network doctors work on insureds at in-network hospitals. This so-called “balance billing” occurs when an out-of-network provider is involved