"[DOL Fact Sheet #280, 'Mental Health Conditions and the FMLA,'] states that some mental health conditions may satisfy both the definition of 'serious health condition' and the definition of 'disability,' even though the statutory tests are different."  MORE >>

"Due to the robust number of participating carriers and networks, the individual marketplace has become a viable solution for employer health plans, especially when coupled with an [individual coverage health reimbursement arrangement (ICHRA)]. While they can bring light to new complexities regarding affordability requirements for employers and increased employee responsibility to understand their plan options and make good choices about their benefits, ICHRAs can also provide greater freedom of choice for employees, greater cost control for employers, and a unique opportunity for customization of benefits through classing options."  MORE >>

"Generic prescriptions aren't saving U.S. consumers much money, largely due to the practices of pharmacy benefit managers and industry middlemen between drug manufacturers and health plans ... Consumers are overpaying for generic drug prescriptions by as much as 20% ... PBM strategies increasing the cost of generics may also be contributing to quality issues and care fragmentation, according to researchers."  MORE >>

"Facing worker recruitment and retention challenges in a tight labor market, almost two-thirds of U.S. organizations (64%) plan to boost efforts to address employee healthcare affordability over the next two years ... Almost all employers (95%) in the survey said they expect to offer virtual care to meet demand for medical and behavioral health services, and 87% of respondents said improving mental health benefits is a top priority."  MORE >>

12 pages. "[In] most cases, a court will find that, even where the presumption against suicide in claims for benefits under accidental death or accidental death and disability policies is the correct standard, there was sufficient evidence in the record to rebut the presumption."  MORE >>

"Several medications that patients need have been in short supply before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, including low-priced, off-patent generic drugs. The White House recently released a report highlighting medication supply as an important issue requiring intervention. [The authors] argue the report's proposed solutions do not go far enough to address a major problem related to drug shortages, as some prices are too low. [They] propose additional policies aimed at increasing prices to improve the supply of generic medications."  MORE >>

"A federal district court rejected a law firm associate's claim for interference with benefits under Section 510 of [ERISA]. According to the court, the associate did not provide sufficient evidence that his firm's stated reasons for terminating the associate's employment were pretextual." [Joffe v. King & Spalding LLP, No. 17-3392 (S.D.N.Y. May 26, 2022)]  MORE >>