News & Analysis as of

Health Insurance Benefit Plan Sponsors Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)

Keating Muething & Klekamp PLL

Benefits Monthly Minute - August 2025

The August Monthly Minute brings you the latest guidance on ERISA retirement plan investment in alternative assets and highlights a recent ruling in mental health parity nonquantitative treatment limitation (NQTL) litigation....more

Holland & Hart - The Benefits Dial

One Too Many … Employer Considerations Following New Lawsuit Challenging Employer Providing Health Plan Options

A recently filed lawsuit against Northwestern University and its health plan fiduciaries raises novel claims that could be problematic for employers that offer multiple medical benefit options, if the suit gains traction. The...more

BCLP

Compliance Check-Up: Illinois Consumer Coverage Disclosure Act

BCLP on

On August 21, 2021, Illinois enacted the Consumer Coverage Disclosure Act (the “CCDA”) requiring that Illinois employers provide a disclosure to employees which comparing the employer’s group health plan compares with the...more

Saul Ewing LLP

Navigating the New Normal: Top Employee Benefits Risks for Healthcare Employers in 2025

Saul Ewing LLP on

As the healthcare industry grapples with the impact of the 2025 Comprehensive Reform Act, which was signed into law on July 4, 2025, offering benefits to its own employees continues to be both a tool for employee retention...more

Husch Blackwell LLP

Employers Continue to Face ERISA Tobacco Surcharge Lawsuits, With Mixed Results

Husch Blackwell LLP on

Recently, companies have seen a spate of class action lawsuits challenging the legality of tobacco cessation wellness programs and related tobacco surcharges imposed by their employer-sponsored health benefit plans....more

Hall Benefits Law

PBM Contracts Could Expose Plan Sponsors to Fiduciary Liability

Hall Benefits Law on

A plan sponsor’s fiduciary duty to be transparent in Pharmacy Benefit Manager contracts safeguards plan participants’ interests and mitigates the risk of litigation, regulatory penalties, and reputational harm, say Hall...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Parity in Peril? Plan Sponsors Breathe Easier As Trump Administration Hits Pause on Enforcement of Mental Health Parity Final Rule

Seyfarth Shaw LLP on

On May 15, 2025 the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury (the “Departments”) announced they will temporarily not enforce their new standards published under the mental health parity Final Rule last...more

Holland & Knight LLP

Excessive Fee Cases: Not Just for Retirement Plans Anymore

Holland & Knight LLP on

A recent wave of cases has attempted to apply the theory of liability for retirement plan excessive fee cases to health plans – specifically, arrangements with pharmacy benefit managers. Though the cases thus far have...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

What Will Trump 2.0 Mean for Employee Benefits? - One Place to Look for Clues: Project 2025

Even as high-priority issues such as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), immigration, and Ukraine take center stage in the first months of the new presidential administration, many employers are wondering what the next...more

Saul Ewing LLP

Organizing Your Company’s Health and Welfare Plans Part 2: Creating a Committee Checklist

Saul Ewing LLP on

In the prior article we discussed the reasoning behind creation of a health and welfare committee to oversee administration of the health and welfare plans. In creating a charter, a plan sponsor will need to decide whether to...more

Saul Ewing LLP

Organizing Your Company’s Health and Welfare Plans Part 1: Creating a Framework

Saul Ewing LLP on

Following the flurry of regulatory guidance and informal comments from officials at the Employee Benefits Security Administration, and other agencies of the Federal government, health and welfare plans should be a primary...more

Alston & Bird

Final Mental Health Parity Rules: A Plan Sponsor’s Implementation Guide

Alston & Bird on

Our Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group discusses what health plan sponsors need to know about the final rule on nonquantitative treatment limitations (NQTLs) and NQTL comparative analysis under the Mental Health...more

Verrill

Final Mental Health Parity Rule Spells Compliance Changes

Verrill on

The long-anticipated final rule under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) was published on September 9, 2024. The MHPAEA prohibits group health plans that provide mental health and substance use...more

Bricker Graydon LLP

Does Your Health Plan Meet the New Kentucky Prescription Drug Rules?

Bricker Graydon LLP on

Effective January 1, 2025, Kentucky has new law regulating pharmacy benefit managers (“PBMs”). Earlier this year, the Governor of Kentucky signed SB 188 into law, making Kentucky the latest state to pass legislation...more

Akerman LLP - Health Law Rx

MHPAEA Final Rule: Clarity on Mental Health Parity?

The three federal agencies tasked with enforcement of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) — the Departments of Labor, Health & Human Services (through CMS), and Treasury (the Departments) — issued their...more

Hall Benefits Law

9th Circuit Explains ERISA Preemption of State Law Claims Arising from Preservice Coverage Communications

Hall Benefits Law on

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recently issued an opinion with critical implications for the healthcare industry. This court decision clarifies the expansive reach of the Employee Retirement Income Security...more

McDermott Will & Schulte

Group Medical Captives, Level Funding and US Healthcare Policy

In a recent article in Managed Healthcare Executive, Peter Wehrwein examines the trend of self-funding of group health benefits by smaller employers who used to depend mainly or entirely on fully insured programs....more

Fenwick & West LLP

The Shifting Regulatory Landscape for Level-Funded Plans: An Alternative for Group Health Insurance

Fenwick & West LLP on

In the constantly changing health insurance landscape, level-funded health plans are steadily gaining ground as a viable middle approach between fully insured health plan and self-funded health plans—arguably offering...more

Morgan Lewis - ML Benefits

Managing Welfare Plan Risk: The Fiduciary Committee

Fiduciary committees have long been established in connection with retirement plans to manage the investment, legal compliance, and operational risks that can arise under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,...more

Hall Benefits Law

The No Surprises Act: A Cost Saving Opportunity for Employer Plan Sponsors

Hall Benefits Law on

Benefits costs continue to increase globally, and in the midst of high inflation and potentially a recession, executives are exploring cost effective methods to manage their self-insured health plans without compromising the...more

Baker Donelson

Surprise! Gag Clause Attestation Due by 12/31/2023

Baker Donelson on

As part of the No Surprises progeny of legislation seeking transparency in health care, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 prohibits the use of "gag clauses" in group health plan agreements. All group health plans...more

Husch Blackwell LLP

Year-End "To Do's": Reminders for Your Company's Retirement and Health & Welfare Plans

Husch Blackwell LLP on

As the year is quickly coming to an end, it is critical that plan sponsors set time aside to review their operational and administrative practices throughout the year. As appropriate, operational errors may be corrected and...more

Holland & Knight LLP

IRS Clarifies HDHP Coverage of COVID-19 Testing, Treatment Before Deductible

Holland & Knight LLP on

The IRS recently issued Notice 2023-37 (Notice) relating to pre-deductible coverage of COVID-19 testing and treatment under high-deductible health plans (HDHPs). Specifically, the Notice establishes a 2024 expiration date for...more

Bass, Berry & Sims PLC

Tolling No More: Preparing for the End of COVID-19 Emergency Declarations

On January 30, President Biden announced his intention to end the COVID-19 National Emergency (NE) and Public Health Emergency (PHE) effective May 11, 2023. Both emergency declarations resulted in various forms of relief for...more

Bass, Berry & Sims PLC

2022 ERISA Welfare Plan Automatic Participant Disclosures Checklist

Bass, Berry & Sims PLC on

We recognize that many companies sponsor ERISA welfare benefit plans and are currently undergoing their open enrollment process and issuing related participant communications. To assist with that process, we have prepared an...more

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