"Prior to the expiration of the national COVID-19 emergency, employers should [1] Confirm with their TPA and other vendors how the end of the tolling deadlines and coverage requirements will be communicated to participants and beneficiaries; [2] Confirm the TPAs and other vendors are accurately calculating the tolled deadlines based on the end of the national COVID-19 emergency; and [3] Determine whether plan documents and notices need to be modified to address the end of the tolling deadlines and coverage requirements."  MORE >>

"The nationwide impact of the elimination of the moral exemption and addition of the individual contraception arrangement on access to contraception may not be robust.... The pending rulemaking seeks comments on the number of women that have been and will be impacted by past and present rulemaking in this area.... The Departments also seek comments on whether issuers should no longer be deemed exempt merely because the plans, private colleges and universities they insure claim exemption from the contraception mandate."  MORE >>

"The rule finalizes regulation focused primarily on three concepts: [1] Should the RADV audit account for any coding errors in the FFS Medicare data used to calibrate the risk adjustment model? [2] Can audit results extend beyond the audited diagnoses, and if so, how? [3] Which RADV audit years are addressed by these changes?"  MORE >>

"Illinois employers must now comply with the Family Bereavement Leave Act [FBLA], which expands unpaid leave rights for employees due to the loss of a pregnancy, a child, or another covered family member. Employees may take a maximum of two weeks of unpaid leave for any of the events covered by the FBLA. All Illinois employers subject to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act are subject to the FBLA."  MORE >>

"The ruling marks the second time in a year that the same federal court has said regulations tip the scales toward insurers in a way the No Surprises Act legislation did not intend.... With two additional cases pending, the [Texas Medical Association] hopes to trigger further changes that would be favorable to providers while running counter to HHS's envisioned use of IDR regulations as a means to exert downward pressure on healthcare spending." [Texas Medical Association v. HHS, No. 22-372 (E.D. Tex. Feb. 6, 2023)]  MORE >>

"The Ninth Circuit reversed the trial court’s decision, finding a jury trial is appropriate. The Ninth Circuit disagreed with the trial court’s focus on military leave and sick leave in general, rather than comparing the short-term military leave at issue, and held that considering military leave categorically would render USERRA’s protections meaningless." [Clarkson v. Alaska Airlines, Inc., No. 21-35473 (9th Cir. Feb. 1, 2023)]   MORE >>

"Among employers that provide mental health solutions, more than a third of respondents (37%) are planning to make changes to their mental health solutions, including employee assistance programs and other clinical and pharmacy solutions, over the next two years.... [R]espondents ranked financial wellbeing fifth among their top areas of focus for vendor solutions over the next two years. Mental health was ranked first, followed by general wellbeing."  MORE >>

"ESI provided an estimated 47% ROI to employers with 100 or more employees. By 2026, employers' ROI is estimated to jump to 56%.... 93% of Americans are satisfied with their ESI. Of these satisfied respondents, 54% reported they are 'highly satisfied' -- a level of intensity rarely seen in consumer sentiment.... Workers believe their ESI is 'affordable,' 'high-quality,' and 'convenient' with 87% agreeing their coverage is 'affordable' and more than 70% agreeing their health insurance is worth what they pay for it."  MORE >>

"The private health insurance market includes both the group market (largely made up of employer-sponsored insurance) and the non- group market ... In 2021, these markets covered an estimated 179 million individuals (54.7% of the U.S. population) and 45 million individuals (13.7% of the U.S. population), respectively. In 2021, private health insurance expenditures accounted for $1,211 billion (29.9% of overall [health consumption expenditures]). " [IF10830 updated Feb. 6, 2023]  MORE >>

Infographic. "Fourteen U.S. states are following Washington's lead and considering a payroll tax for workers who do not own long-term care insurance. Employees with private insurance may opt out, so there's never been a better time to add this employee benefit to your total rewards."  MORE >>