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Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter

January 4, 2022

6 New Job Opportunities 6 New Job Opportunities

 

[Official Guidance]

Text of DOL Announcement: Listening Session Regarding Provider Nondiscrimination Under Section 2706(a) of the Public Health Service Act (PDF)

"[DOL, HHS and the Treasury Department] are hosting a listening session on January 19, 2022 regarding implementation of the provider nondiscrimination provision under section 2706(a) of the Public Health Service Act, which is incorporated by reference in section 715 of [ERISA] and section 9815 of the Internal Revenue Code. The listening session will be held virtually ... The purpose of the listening session is to foster an exchange of information and views and afford interested individuals and organizations an opportunity to share their perspective on what should be included in forthcoming proposed regulations."  MORE >>

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS]; U.S. Department of Labor [DOL]; and U.S. Treasury Department

[Guidance Overview]

DOL Provides Guidance on CAA Fee Disclosure Rules for Group Health Plans

"[FAB 2021-03] establishes a temporary enforcement policy providing that a person will not be treated as having failed to make the required disclosures as long as the disclosures made are in accordance with a good faith, reasonable interpretation of the rules. The DOL encourages service providers to look to the DOL's fee disclosure rules for pension plans as a way to establish that they have acted in accordance with a good faith, reasonable interpretation of the rules."  MORE >>

Boutwell Fay LLP

[Guidance Overview]

2021 ACA Employer Reporting Update: Permanent Extension to Provide Employee Forms and End of Transition Relief for Reporting Errors

"The final forms contain very few changes from prior years. The proposed final rules make permanent the 30-day extension the IRS has allowed in previous reporting years. Employers required to comply with state individual mandate reporting requirements may face different deadlines."  MORE >>

EPIC

[Guidance Overview]

Understand Your Rights Against Surprise Medical Bills

"Starting in 2022, there are new protections that prevent surprise medical bills. If you have private health insurance, these new protections ban the most common types of surprise bills. If you're uninsured or you decide not to use your health insurance for a service, under these protections, you can often get a good faith estimate of the cost of your care up front, before your visit. If you disagree with your bill, you may be able to dispute the charges. Here's what you need to know about your new rights."  MORE >>

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS], U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS]

[Guidance Overview]

To Deduct or Not to Deduct: Washington Cares Act Dilemma Requires Employers to Make a Choice This January

"[It] makes sense to collect the premium given that the Act is currently the law and it requires employers to deduct premiums beginning on January 1, 2022.... If the legislature changes the law, employers will likely need to refund those premiums quickly ... or risk a wrongful wage withholding claim.... All signs seem to point to a change in the law, or even repeal, and the lack of civil penalties may make the risk of not following the current law more attractive."  MORE >>

Fisher Phillips

New York Bills Tighten Grip on PBM Practices

"New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law two of the three bills in the state legislature's Pharmacy Rescue Package.... [1] S. 3762/A. 1396, which requires PBMs to register and be licensed in the state; requires PBMs to pass through all discounts, rebates, and price concessions to health plans or providers; and prohibits PBMs from requiring accreditation requirements than are more stringent than state or federal laws. [2] S. 3566/A. 5854A, which bans mandatory mail order and protects patients' ability to use the pharmacy of their choice."  MORE >>

National Community Pharmacists Association [NCPA]

Why You Should Measure Employee Benefits Engagement

"Measurement can help you identify where you need to shore up benefits marketing efforts.... Compare your company's metrics with relevant real-world data whenever possible.... Along with overall engagement data, analyze the 'take rate' for specific programs and desired actions within these programs.... Measure engagement over time to understand trends in your workforce."  MORE >>

Tango Health

Benefits in General

[Official Guidance]

IRS Disaster Relief Notice CO-2022-01, for Colorado Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

"Victims of wildfires and straight-line winds beginning December 30, 2021 now have until May 16, 2022, to file various individual and business tax returns and make tax payments ... Individuals and households affected by the wildfires and straight-line winds that reside or have a business in Boulder county qualify for tax relief."  MORE >>

Internal Revenue Service [IRS]

Biden's EBSA Nominee Back on the Docket

"While it appeared the nomination of Lisa Gomez to serve as Assistant Secretary for EBSA at the [DOL] was in jeopardy after having been included in a list of nominees that would not carry over to the new year, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee has now scheduled a January 5 nomination hearing for her, along with several other nominees."  MORE >>

American Retirement Association [ARA]

Employee Benefits Jobs

View job as Retirement Account Administrator
for Alerus Retirement Account Administrator

Alerus

Remote

View job as ESOP Retirement Account Administrator, Senior
for Alerus ESOP Retirement Account Administrator, Senior

Alerus

Remote

View job as Retirement Plan Specialist
for RTD Financial Advisors Retirement Plan Specialist

RTD Financial Advisors

Philadelphia PA / Cherry Hill NJ

View job as Employee Benefits Associate
for Shipman & Goodwin LLP Employee Benefits Associate

Shipman & Goodwin LLP

Hartford CT / New Haven CT / Stamford CT

View job as Junior Employee Benefits Recordkeeper
for American Pension Advisors, Ltd. Junior Employee Benefits Recordkeeper

American Pension Advisors, Ltd.

Indianapolis IN

View job as 401(k) Consultant/Account Manager
for TPS Group 401(k) Consultant/Account Manager

TPS Group

Remote

Press Releases

TRA Appoints Chad Empey Chief Financial Officer

The Retirement Advantage [TRA]

LIMRA’s Newest Enhancements to Data Exchange Standards Allow for Enrollment in All Employee Benefits Plans

LIMRA

Governance Attorney David C. Strosnider Joins Chicago Office of McDonald Hopkins

McDonald Hopkins

Employee Benefit Insurance Carriers Meet COVID Vaccination Accommodation Requests with the FINEOS Integrated Disability and Absence Management (IDAM) Solution

FINEOS Corporation

Fiduciaries to Utica, New York Employee Stock Ownership Plan Agree to Take Actions to Resolve Violations Found in DOL Investigation

Employee Benefits Security Administration [EBSA], U.S. Department of Labor

Last Issue's Most Popular Items

DOL Addresses Enforcement of CAA-21 Compensation Disclosure Rules for Brokers and Consultants Under ERISA Section 408(b)(2)

Thomson Reuters Practical Law

Alert for Oklahomans with an HDHP Paired with an HSA

Oklahoma Insurance Department

Health Plan Transparency Reporting in 2022: Do You Know Where Your Health Care Dollars Go?

Society for Human Resource Management [SHRM]; membership may be required to view article

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BenefitsLink Retirement Plans Newsletter, ISSN no. 1536-9587.

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