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Webcasts, Conferences
COBRA Basics for Employer-Sponsored Health Plans: Complying with Continuing Coverage Requirements
RECORDED
HRWebAdvisor
Severance Plans and ERISA Compliance: Limiting Liability in Design and Implementation of Severance Arrangements
June 12, 2018 WEBCAST
Strafford
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"The complete exclusion of coverage for a particular condition does not violate the MHPAEA, although it could raise issues under other laws ... [D]isparities in the adequacy of networks (and the standards for establishing adequacy) may result in violations of the MHPAEA. The non-quantitative treatment limitations under the MHPAEA apply to the availability of out-of-network coverage as well as in-network coverage.... An eating disorder is specifically treated as a mental health condition, but the guidance sidesteps the issue with regard to autism[.]" Ballard Spahr LLP
Certificate in Benefit Plan Administration
Finish Your Certificate in June! The Certificate in Benefit Plan Administration program provides a survey of the core operational areas and issues involved in administering benefit plans.
Agencies Bolster Reasoning for Out-of-Network Emergency Services Payment Method
"For the moment, at least, ... plans and insurers should continue to apply the [greatest-of-three (GOT)] regulation under the November 2015 final rules in calculating minimum payment rates for out-of-network emergency services. As a reminder, [HHS, DOL and Treasury] also take the view that plans or insurers must disclose how they calculate amounts under the minimum payment standards. This includes the method the plan or insurer uses to determine payments for out-of-network services." Thomson Reuters Practical Law
Personalized Digital Coaching Program Leads to Savings on Claims, Clinically Significant Outcomes
"Participants engaged with the coach and program through the first year, and with more than 1,300 people enrolled, the outcomes include: ... 95% program completion; an average of 3.8 meaningful participant interactions per day during the high intensity intervention; and an 80% monthly active user base through 12 months.... Of those with metabolic syndrome risk factors, 73% of participants reversed at least one." Restore Health, via PRNewswire
Case Study: The Dangers of Silent Pharmacy Contract Terms (PDF)
"Transparency is critical when it comes to pharmacy contracting. Not only is it important to have robust discount, dispensing fee and rebate guarantees, but the contract terms and definitions must be clear and precise. A high generic discount might not be such a good deal if the contract language isn't strong. Generic drug definitions that lack clarity or are absent from the pharmacy contract altogether can be a costly mistake." Lockton
Risk Analyses vs. Gap Analyses -- What Is the Difference? (PDF)
"Conducting a risk analysis is the first step in identifying and implementing safeguards that ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of [electronic protected health information]. A gap analysis, while not required by the HIPAA Rules, is a useful tool to identify whether certain standards and implementation specifications of the Security Rule have been met." Office for Civil Rights [OCR], U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS]
Now is a great time to join Worldwide Employee Benefits Network (WEB)
Worldwide Employee Benefits Network helps me connect with thought leaders in the Benefits Industry. Join WEB today at www.webnetwork.org .
CVS 'Moving Forward' with Aetna Deal, Profit Tops Estimates
"CVS's proposed takeover of Aetna would bring together around 10,000 CVS stores and the health insurer's 22 million customers. A central plank of the deal is transforming the stores into health hubs where consumers can get care, pick up their drugs, buy some cosmetics, and stay out of the hospital." Bloomberg
Making Health Insurance Enrollment as Automatic as Possible
"[This aritcle] discusses previous uses of auto-enrollment with health insurance and other benefits as well as recent efforts in Maryland to deploy auto-enrollment to improve the individual market's risk pool and reduce the number of uninsured." Health Affairs
Benefits in General
Text of IRS Disaster Relief AL-2018-03, for Victims of Severe Storms and Tornadoes in Alabama
"Individuals who reside or have a business in Calhoun, Cullman, and Etowah counties may qualify for tax relief.... [C]ertain deadlines falling on or after March 19, 2018 and before July 31, 2018, are granted additional time to file through July 31, 2018. In addition, penalties on payroll and excise tax deposits due on or after March 19, 2018 and before April 3, 2018, will be abated as long as the deposits were made before April 3, 2018." Internal Revenue Service [IRS]
California Supreme Court Holds Worker Classifications Easy as A-B-C
"The California Supreme Court's decision to eschew the traditional multifactor case-by-case worker classification analysis in favor of this 'simpler, more structured test' will undoubtedly raise concerns among many industries, including from companies operating in the gig economy space with large independent contractor workforces." ReedSmith
California Supreme Court Applies 'ABC' Test When Assessing Independent Contractor Status
"For Wage Order claims, the 'engage, suffer or permit' standard determines if a worker is an employee or an independent contractor. The Supreme Court also held that, to evaluate whether a worker is an employee under this language, courts should use the so-called ABC test that other jurisdictions have used." Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Executive Compensationand Nonqualified Plans
The Next Critical Action Item After Filing Your Proxy Statement
"Compensation Committees and the appropriate members of the Company's legal, executive compensation, tax, and/or HR functions should quickly prepare to shift their focus to action items relating to new world of Code
Winston & Strawn LLP
Press Releases
PSCA Presents Volunteer Service Awards at the 71st Annual National Conference PSCA [Plan Sponsor Council of America]
NTSA Releases Best Practices Guide for 403(b) & 457 Plans American Retirement Association
Ed Emerson Heads MMM's Employment and Benefits Group; Four Attorneys Hired Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP
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BenefitsLink Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter, ISSN no. 1536-9595. Copyright 2018 BenefitsLink.com, Inc. All materials contained in this newsletter are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of BenefitsLink.com, Inc., or in the case of third party materials, the owner of those materials. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notices from copies of the content.
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