A recent court filing offers a reprieve to health plan sponsors in their efforts to comply with final regulations issued last year under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA)....more
5/14/2025
/ Compensation & Benefits ,
Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Final Rules ,
Health Insurance ,
Mental Health ,
MHPAEA ,
NQTLs ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Stays ,
U.S. Treasury
The IRS recently issued Notices 2024-71 and 2024-75, which expand the list of “preventive care” benefits permitted to be provided by a high deductible health plan (HDHP) without a deductible and the list of benefits...more
11/11/2024
/ Biden Administration ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Flexible Spending Accounts ,
HDHP ,
Health Insurance ,
Health Savings Accounts ,
HIV ,
HSA ,
IRS ,
Medical Benefits ,
Medical Expenses ,
New Guidance ,
Preventive Health Care
The Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services have published final regulations under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act that prohibit group health plans and health insurers from imposing...more
10/15/2024
/ Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Final Rules ,
Health and Welfare Plans ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Mental Health ,
Mental Health Parity Rule ,
MHPAEA ,
NQTLs ,
U.S. Treasury
A new and unprecedented wave of class action complaints is targeting a common feature of many employer-sponsored benefit plans: tobacco-user surcharges. These surcharges are often part of a wellness program that charges...more
10/3/2024
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Class Action ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Health and Welfare Plans ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
Public Health ,
Surcharges ,
Tobacco ,
Tobacco Regulations
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has filed court pleadings stating that it does not intend to initiate enforcement actions against plans that maintain copay accumulator programs....more
12/11/2023
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Co-payments ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employees ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Enforcement Guidance ,
Final Rules ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Non-Enforcement ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Rulemaking Process
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has stayed the broad application of a district court decision that would have invalidated a number of preventive care requirements under the Affordable Care Act. As a result, health plans,...more