"On January 1, 2019 the [ACA's] individual mandate was removed at the federal level. As a result, a number of States (California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, D.C.) adopted individual mandates. The States that have implemented an individual mandate have frequently implemented additional reporting requirements."  MORE >>

"California's new bereavement leave law, which became effective beginning January 1, 2023, requires most employers to allow their employees to take up to five days of leave upon the death of certain family members.... The new law makes California one of the few states requiring employers to provide bereavement leave."  MORE >>

"On February 28, 2023, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Department of Labor published regulations concerning three distinct types of job-protected paid leave employers must provide under the Promoting Healthy Families and Workplaces Ordinance (PHFWO). This is the third iteration of what PDOL labels its 'supplemental regulation' of the PHFWO."  MORE >>

"[The Texas Medical Association (TMA) is now] challenging the methodology in the Departments' July 2021 interim final rule that insurers should use to calculate the QPA, which the TMA claims deflates the QPA and favors insurers who seek to pay lower rates.... [T]he TMA, joined by a professional medical society of radiologists and a radiology group practice, has [also] challenged ... specific provisions of the September Rule and the December fee guidance." [Texas Medical Assoc. v. HHS, No. 22-0450 (E.D. Tex. complaint filed Nov. 30, 2022); Texas Medical Assoc. v. HHS, No. 22-0059 (E.D. Tex. complaint filed Jan. 30, 2023)]  MORE >>

"Top employer health benefit priorities for 2023 include a focus on engagement in programs and use of benefits (96%), health benefit communications (94%), financial wellbeing (93%), wellness and wellbeing (93%), chronic condition management (91%), preventive services (91%) and specialty drug management (91%)."  MORE >>

"The appointees and their areas of expertise are as follows: [1] Accounting: Gwen Mazzola is a partner and the ERISA Practice Leader of HoganTaylor LLP.... [2] Employee Organizations: Mayoung Nham is a principal with the law firm of Slevin & Hart PC.... [3] Employers: John M. Towarnicky has ... [held] leadership positions at four Fortune 500 employers and at the Plan Sponsor Council of America.... [4] General Public: Mark D. DeBofsky is the principal member of DeBofsky Law Ltd.... [5] Insurance: Alice Palmer is vice president and chief counsel for Retirement Plan Service for the Lincoln Financial Group."  MORE >>

"Benefits need to meet individuals where they are by allowing enough flexibility to appeal to employees -- of any generation -- at all life stages.... Employees have become more vocal about needing more flexibility, including time away from work.... A retirement study can help determine if plan contribution matching practices and vesting schedule parameters are market competitive.... Precision medicine, which considers a person's genetics, environment and lifestyle, also brightens the horizon for cost control and population health."  MORE >>