"HDHPs may choose to waive the deductible for any telehealth services for plan years beginning in 2023 and 2024 without causing participants to lose HSA eligibility. This provision is optional; HDHPs can continue to choose to apply any telehealth services toward the deductible."  MORE >>

"Although the Section 125 cafeteria plan irrevocable election rule is very strict, it is relatively easy to modify a dependent care FSA election because any change in use of daycare, change in a daycare provider, or change in an existing daycare provider's cost generally will qualify as a permitted election change event."  MORE >>

"The CAA, 2023 ... sunsets provisions of the Public Health Service Act which permitted large, self-funded, non-federal governmental plans ... to opt out of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA).... [A]ny self-funded state and local governmental plans that have not previously elected to opt out of the MHPAEA will no longer be able to submit an election to opt out. Further, any self-funded state and local governmental plans that previously elected to opt out of the MHPAEA will be unable to renew their election once it expires."  MORE >>

16 pages. "This report describes current law and applicable regulations and guidance, specifically with regard to how the PTC and CSR requirements apply in 2023." [R44425, updated Jan. 17, 2023]  MORE >>

"A bill likely to be enacted in Illinois will require most employers in the state to provide covered employees with up to 40 hours of paid leave per year. The leave entitlement would begin January 1, 2024, and be available 'for any purpose.' This statewide Paid Leave for All Workers Act would not cover employees receiving paid sick leave under Chicago's or Cook County's sick leave ordinances."  MORE >>

"Illinois employers will be required to provide a minimum of 40 hours, or a pro rata number of hours, of paid leave during a designated twelve-month period to be used for any reason of the employee's choosing. Employees are not required to give a reason for taking leave, and employers will not be permitted to require any documentation or certification of the need to take leave."  MORE >>

"Vermont will be ... implementing a voluntary paid family leave program as of July 1, 2024.... Similar to the New Hampshire model, Vermont will be contracting with an insurance company to provide paid family and medical leave benefits on behalf of employers who purchase a policy. The VT-FMLI model differs from the more prevalent state mandate structure by offering employers an optional approach to paid family and medical leave."  MORE >>

"UMR, a subsidiary of UnitedHealthcare, is protesting North Carolina's decision to award its state health plan contract to Aetna ... The contract includes healthcare spending of more than $17.5 billion over five years. BCBS North Carolina has held the contract for over 40 years.... In its protest filing, UMR said North Carolina did not comply with request-for-proposal evaluation and scoring criteria in deciding Aetna had the best offer[.]"  MORE >>