"[IRS Chief Counsel Memorandum 202323006] discusses whether wellness indemnity payments under an employer-funded, fixed-indemnity insurance policy (including those where the premium for coverage is paid by the employee through a cafeteria plan under section 125) are includible in the gross income of the employee if the employee has no unreimbursed medical expenses related to the payment."  MORE >>

"When the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) ended on May 11, 2023, many of the flexibilities for telehealth, remote patient monitoring, and other virtual healthcare services ended or a date was identified for such flexibilities to end. Significant PHE flexibilities for virtual healthcare and related expiration dates are summarized [in this article]."  MORE >>

"[O]nly 25% of health plans cover weight loss medications with prior authorization and 10% to 15% of plans allow coverage without it.... [P]ayers should: [1] Review PBM formulary and utilization management systems to ensure that only clinically eligible patients get the drugs; [2] Negotiate lowest-net-cost PBM formulary changes to obtain the medications at the lowest prices; [3] Contract with a PBM that approves of manufacturer copay cards for non-specialty drugs, which can lower the cost burden on the payer."  MORE >>

"81% of insured adults rated their health plans' performance as 'excellent' or 'good.' ... Still, nearly 60% reported experiencing a problem with their coverage in the past 12 months, like their insurer paying less than expected or not being able to schedule an appointment with an in-network doctor. Nearly half who reported problems said it wasn't resolved or they weren't satisfied with the outcome."  MORE >>

"Nine percent of employers provided a surrogacy reimbursement program, with 29% adding or enhancing surrogacy reimbursement ... From a financial perspective, surrogacy costs more than other pathways to parenthood. In general, surrogacy costs can range from around $80,000 to upwards of $200,000."  MORE >>

"[N]early 70% of employers have or are planning to assess employee benefit offerings for inclusivity and DEI alignment.... Some of the key areas of opportunity found through inclusive benefits assessments and employee listening are: [1] Flexible work arrangements; [2] Comprehensive health and wellbeing programs; [3] Financial security; [4] Caregiver support."  MORE >>

"Remote and hybrid work pose some unique challenges to the well-being of employees, including the risk of isolation, the difficulty of disconnecting from work and the blurring of work/life boundaries ... To address these issues, employers should establish clear expectations around communication, response times and work/life balance."  MORE >>

"Consolidation of health care providers into vertically integrated health systems continued through the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in ever greater concentration in the U.S. health care system.... [A]lthough the number of systems changed little between 2018 and 2021, there was considerable churn due to mergers and acquisitions, and increasing physician affiliation with health systems.... [C]onsolidation trends led to increased variation in system size in 2021, with fewer large systems at the top of the size distribution and the addition of new smaller systems at the bottom."  MORE >>