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Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter December 30, 2019 |
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[Official Guidance] Text of CMS Extension of Comment Period on Proposed Transparency in Coverage Regs "This document extends the comment period for the proposed rule entitled, 'Transparency in Coverage' ... The comment period for the proposed rule, which would close on January 14, 2020, is extended 15 days to January 29, 2020." Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS], U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS] |
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[Guidance Overview] Cadillac Tax Sent to the Junkyard, But PCORI Has New Life "Through the SECURE Act, ... Congress has once and for all repealed the highly controversial Cadillac tax.... [T]he SECURE Act has extended the PCORI fee for another 10 years, meaning that the fee will be in effect until 2029 for most plans (2030 for others, depending on the plan's year-end)." Graydon |
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Feds Extend Comment Period for Health Insurance Transparency Rule "[CMS said] that the 15-day extension that ends on January 29 was needed to account for robust public feedback and the consideration of the holiday season. If finalized, the proposed Transparency in Coverage Rule would mandate that consumers have real-time access to cost-sharing information, including out-of-pocket expenses, through a user-friendly online tool that most group health plans and health insurance issuers would be required to have." HealthLeaders Media |
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IRS Deems Portion of Ancestry Genetic Testing Payable by Health FSA "The stated goal of the genetic testing was to get individuals to provide genetic information to their healthcare providers. Individuals could not purchase the health-related services from the testing company without also purchasing the ancestry services.... [Private Letter Ruling 201933005] ruled that portions of the testing, such as genotyping and ancestry reports, are not medical care, but other services offered by the service would be considered medical care." Hall Benefits Law |
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Why Amazon Makes a Big Pharmacy Move in 2020 "Amazon is quietly talking to health insurance companies about new ways to integrate its online pharmacy services into their medical plans and employer health benefits. The online retail giant, working under the PillPack by Amazon pharmacy brand rolled out in the last year, is winning over health insurers through their health plan enrollees." Forbes |
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A Reality Check on Artificial Intelligence: Are Health Care Claims Overblown? "Health products powered by artificial intelligence, or AI, are streaming into our lives, from virtual doctor apps to wearable sensors and drugstore chatbots.... Yet many health industry experts fear AI-based products won't be able to match the hype.... AI systems sometimes learn to make predictions based on factors that have less to do with disease than the brand of MRI machine used, the time a blood test is taken or whether a patient was visited by a chaplain.... Yet the majority of AI devices don't require FDA approval." Kaiser Health News |
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Health Care Costs Keep Rising Faster Than Wages, Inflation "Annual family premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose 5% to an average of $20,576 this year... [W]hile wages and inflation have cumulatively increased 26% and 20%, premiums are cumulatively up 54% over the past decade, while deductibles have skyrocketed 162%." InsuranceNewsNet.com |
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Benefits in General |
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Creating Total Compensation Offerings for Managing Multiple Generations "Now that multiple generations exist in the workforce, all with varied attributes and differences, a one-size-fits-all total compensation approach should no longer be considered. These new approaches must also be cost-effective, compliant and competitive." Corporate Compliance Insights |
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Most Popular Items in the Previous Issue |
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Latest Court Ruling on ACA Has No Immediate Impact on Health Plans
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