6 pages. "Under the MLR regulations ... an issuer's MLR and rebate calculations must account for, among other things, CSR payments. The purpose of this draft guidance is to propose instructions for issuers to report and treat recovered CSR amounts in their MLR and rebate calculations."  MORE >>

"An employer can create an HDHP/HSA to be a rich (or lean) option through a variety of levers that can increase employee engagement and satisfaction.... [1] Revisit employer HSA contributions ... [2] Evaluate maintenance medications and supplies ... [3] Consider digital health solutions ... [4] Address employee concerns about HDHPs ... [5] Coordinate 401(k)s and HSAs."  MORE >>

"As some states move to restrict abortion access, a major company is changing its benefits so that employees in those states can still obtain abortion services.... Citigroup Inc.... recently disclosed that it will now cover out-of-state travel costs for employees seeking an abortion if they are located in Texas and other states where access to abortion has been restricted."  MORE >>

"This analysis of government data estimates that 9% of adults -- or roughly 23 million people -- owe more than $250 due to health costs.... The 2020 survey suggests Americans' collective medical debt totaled at least $195 billion in 2019 ... A small share of adults account for a huge share of the total, with considerable variation from year to year."  MORE >>

"[N]early 69% of beneficiaries enrolled in MA are enrolled in plans offering a combo benefit. This percentage largely consists of beneficiaries enrolled in plans offering dental-only combo benefits.... About 6% of MA beneficiaries were enrolled in plans offering a combo benefit in 2021 exclusive of dental; thus, the prevalence of non-dental combo benefits grew significantly from 6% of beneficiaries in 2021 to 19% of beneficiaries in 2022."  MORE >>

"Barbara McAneny, MD, CEO of the New Mexico Cancer Center, who served as AMA president in 2018, said the AMA has engaged a law firm to take on the issue of curtailing prior authorization, which oncologists say has become worse with increased vertical integration among health plans and PBMs, causing treatment delays and overriding doctors" attempts to use innovative therapies.  MORE >>

"[A] Texas federal court has concluded that the DOL's actions, both in delaying the effective date of the IC Final Rule ... and in withdrawing it ... violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).... ' [T]he IC Final Rule's stated purpose was to provide clarity to the analysis. Instead, the court noted, the DOL rescinded the IC Final Rule and flatly shut down any potential consideration of alternatives to its withdrawal, leaving employers and employees with the same confusion that had existed prior to the IC Final Rule." [Coalition for Workforce Innovation v. Walsh, No. 21-0130 (E.D. Tex. Mar. 14, 2022)]  MORE >>