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Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter October 8, 2020 |
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Newly Posted The Caregiving Crisis: COVID-19’s Impact on Working Parents and Employer Support Programs
Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program
2020 Top 10 HSA Issues
Ready or Not, Here It Comes! Massachusetts PFML
FMLA Certifications – A Step-by-Step Guide
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Discussions |
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This Newsletter:
BenefitsLink Retirement Plans Newsletter:
Message Boards Digest:
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[Guidance Overview]
"Last year, in Notice 2019-63, the IRS asked for comments on whether an extension of the January 31 deadline for furnishing forms would be necessary for future years. Notice 2020-76 states that the IRS received very few comments. The IRS again requested comments and stated that if no comments are submitted, the relief will not be granted in future years. The comment deadline is February 1, 2021." Buck |
"[T]he argument doesn't tell us much about how the justices will decide this case, in part because of the lack of a shared conceptual framework about how to analyze the text of ERISA. The justices did seem particularly dubious, though, of the Arkansas statute's procedural rules about the timing of appeals, updating of lists and the like. We might see a relatively splintered court, looking once again for a clear and reliable method of assessing the reach of ERISA's preemption." [Rutledge v. Pharmaceutical Care Mgmt. Assoc., Nos. 17-1609 and 17-1629 (8th Cir. Jun. 8, 2018; oral arg. Oct. 6, 2020)] SCOTUSblog |
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"HHS has renewed its determination that a public health emergency exists nationwide as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, effective October 23, 2020.... The [FFCRA] and [CARES Act] require group health plans to cover -- without cost-sharing, preauthorization, or other medical management requirements -- certain COVID-19-related diagnostic and preventive health services." Thomson Reuters / EBIA |
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"47% of consumers surveyed say they don't understand what their health insurance plans will pay for when it comes to coronavirus testing and treatment. And of the respondents who have been tested or treated for coronavirus, 34% of them say they received a bill that they expected their health insurance to cover." InsuranceNewsNet.com |
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"More than nine in ten (95%) responding organizations have an open enrollment period.... More than three in four (77%) responding organizations begin their open enrollment periods in either October (34%) or November (43%).... More than one-half (52%) of responding organizations have an open enrollment period that lasts two weeks.... About three in four (75%) respondents have their workers make open enrollment changes online/virtually, while 12% give their workers the choice between making changes online/virtually or using hard copy documents." International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans [IFEBP] |
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"In 2020, the average annual premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance are $7,470 for single coverage and $21,342 for family coverage. The average single premium increased 4% and the average family premium increased 4% over the past year. Workers' wages increased 3.4% and inflation increased 2.1%. The average premium for family coverage has increased 22% over the last five years and 55% over the last ten years." [Also available: graphing tool which allows users to look at changes in premiums and worker contributions over time for covered workers at different types of firms.] Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation |
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"[Of] workers who had lost jobs with [employer-sponsored insurance (ESI)] during the pandemic, more than half had been temporarily laid off or furloughed and still had ESI through the employer.... By August, the number of temporarily laid-off workers had fallen to 6.2 million ... [but] the number of permanently laid-off workers increased from 2.6 million to 4.1 million ... Although improvements in the labor market since April have been good news for many laid-off workers, a large minority has already lost or remains at risk of losing ESI." The Commonwealth Fund |
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"Federal data shows that the uninsured rate has been rising since 2016 and rose again in 2019. New analyses of the uninsured population in 2019 show that consumers were struggling with coverage affordability even before the COVID-19 pandemic. And recent surveys and media reports suggest a deepening affordability crisis in 2020 as millions have been laid off from work or lost income." Katie Keith, in Health Affairs Blog |
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[Opinion]
"Payers are experiencing short-term cash windfalls as a result of record-low claims expenses. But, are they preparing for the coming economic recession that will undoubtedly negatively impact health plan revenue through a shifting mix of membership? Health plans should use this crisis to think strategically, not only about their current products and sources of revenue, but about new insurance products and market niches." Alvarez & Marsal |
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Benefits in General |
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"Expand your definition of benefits ... Allow for flexibility and choice ... Prepare to meet people where they are ... Decide what options are no longer relevant and how to pay the right price for the rest ... Be up front about how rewards are linked to the state of the business ... Help employees use their benefits." PwC |
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Selected Discussions |
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► It's easy to sign up and participate in discussions! Post answers, ask questions, create custom feeds and views. Join your peers (and potential referral sources or customers)—there is no charge. |
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"Does the CARES act provision for changing health insurance coverage mid-year apply to vision or dental insurance? In other words, in a premium-only plan, are these coverages considered 'health coverage' for this purpose, or does the revocation of existing health health coverage or electing to now be covered, only apply to 'health insurance?' " BenefitsLink Message Boards |
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Press Releases |
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Most Popular Items in the Previous Issue |
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State's Bid to Skirt Drug-Pricing Preemption Put to High Court Test
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Transcript of Supreme Court Oral Argument in Pre-Emption Challenge to State Regulation of PBMs (PDF)
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BenefitsLink Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter, ISSN no. 1536-9595. Copyright 2020 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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