"Alabama Governor Kay Ivey recently signed SB 272 into law, setting forth telemedicine practice standards and abolishing Alabama's previous 'special purpose license' that allowed physicians licensed in other states to practice across state lines into Alabama. The law is effective July 11, 2022."  MORE >>

"The IRS issued a proposed rule on April 5, 2022 to close a loophole in the ACA policy affecting subsidies in the ACA marketplace.... [T]his proposal could indirectly affect employers as many spouses and dependents may elect to enroll in the ACA marketplace plans instead of the employer plan. This also opens the door for more employers to encourage spouses and dependents off their plans by increasing the cost that they pay to stay on the plan."  MORE >>

"The Supreme Court is currently considering a petition for certiorari that addresses the application of ERISA preemption to local 'play-or-pay' laws.... Even though local play-or-pay laws may serve the salutary purpose of ensuring good benefits for local employees, large employers maintain that such purpose cannot trump the overriding federal concern that nationwide employers be able to design benefits that work for their nationwide workforce." [ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) v. City of Seattle, No. 20-35472 (9th Cir. Mar. 17, 2021; unpub.; cert. pet. filed Jan. 14, 2022)]  MORE >>

"The easiest way to stay compliant and avoid penalties is to continuously monitor your data.... ACA penalties can be avoided by being vigilant. Here are a few steps you can take to ensure you are compliant with ACA regulations."  MORE >>

"For many private companies, spring can be a time with fewer calendar year-driven HR projects.... Accordingly, this may be the perfect time to take stock of your executive compensation arrangements and employee benefit plans so that you are ahead of any issues that may arise in the context of an ultimate sale or liquidity event.... This post provides general guidelines, suggestions, and considerations for getting started on the deal process and getting organized."  MORE >>

"Fidelity Investment's 2022 Retiree Health Care Cost Estimate increased 5% from 2021, and the figure has nearly doubled since the initial $160,000 estimate in 2002.... For 2022, Fidelity estimates that a 65-year-old couple retiring this year can expect to spend an average of $315,000 on health care costs throughout retirement. The estimates for single retirees are $150,000 for men and $165,000 for women. For single retirees, the 2021 estimate was $157,000 for women and $143,000 for men."  MORE >>