"States are utilizing a variety of policy levers to maintain access to telebehavioral health services. Commonly used levers include: [1] Creating allowances for out-of-state behavioral health [roviders.... [2] Enabling coverage for audio-only telebehavioral health services.... [3] Expanding telehealth-eligible provider types to include a broad range of behavioral health providers.... [4] Requiring payment parity for telebehavioral health visits."   MORE >>

"Pharmaceutical companies have succeeded in boosting demand for high-priced brand-name drugs by offering coupons to offset patient cost-sharing. While consumers who qualify for these coupons enjoy immediate benefits, the practice has frustrated insurers' efforts to manage costs and has increased US drug spending, according to a [ recent study ]."   MORE >>

"For large group plans, net drug spending (the net of manufacturer rebates) per member grew annually by only 2 percent on average. This is remarkable considering that many new therapies were marketed. In contrast, net drug spending per member for individual plans grew annually by 11 percent on average. The result is a marked difference in spending per member between the two types of plans."   MORE >>

"The program aims to offer 24/7, on-demand exercise feedback to eligible members with musculoskeletal conditions ... Members who are recovering from surgery or an injury will be asked to complete an assessment of current issues and will be referred to the program based on that assessment."   MORE >>

"As legal protections roll back, employers are the fallback -- and each can make or change their own policies at will, making coverage of key services even more uneven throughout the country."   MORE >>

"[P]lan sponsors must amend their retirement plan documents before the end of the 2022 plan year.... [The SECURE Act and the CARES Act] require plan amendments to reflect [1] certain mandatory changes and/or [2] optional changes employers chose to implement.... [S]ponsors of health and welfare plans should make sure that their plan documents are fully up-to-date with all the various changes required by (and/or due to) the myriad laws enacted and guidance issued throughout the COVID pandemic. This includes several changes in the CARES Act and informal guidance from the IRS, including, among other things, the temporary rules requiring plans to disregard certain days in calculating various COBRA, special enrollment and ERISA claims/appeals deadlines, etc."   MORE >>