"This document extends the comment period for the proposed rules entitled 'Requirements Related to the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act' that were published in the August 3, 2023, issue of the Federal Register. The comment period for the proposed rules, which had been scheduled to close on October 2, 2023, is extended 15 days to October 17, 2023."  MORE >>

"Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (CAA), group health plans and health insurance issuers are prohibited from entering into agreements with service providers restricting certain information that the plan may make available to another party. This information includes [1] provider-specific cost or quality information sharing with plan members or [2] claims data (including individual claims pricing) sharing with plan sponsors (and their service providers)"  MORE >>

"[As] long as the employee still remains employed within the United States, the employee has the right to take FMLA leave to travel abroad and care for a family member (child, spouse, parent).... A plain reading of the regulation ... tells us that an employee loses FMLA protection when they are employed 'outside' the United States.... But what about the employee who is assigned to work abroad on a short-term basis and reports at all times back to the United States?"  MORE >>

"The amendments include [1] clarification on how to calculate employer size in order to determine leave requirements, [2] what constitutes a New York-based employee for the purposes of the act and [3] when it is permissible to ask employees to document the need for safe and sick leave."  MORE >>

"[U]nadjusted prices were higher in self-insured plans for most of the services [studied], with the largest differences found for endoscopies (approximately 8 percent higher in self-insured plans), colonoscopies (approximately 7 percent), laboratory tests (approximately 5 percent), and moderate-severity emergency department visits (4 percent). When patient characteristics, plan type, and geography were adjusted for, differences were generally smaller but were consistent with these findings."  MORE >>

"After exhausting the supply side of healthcare through decreased benefits, spousal carve-outs, etc., employers seem to be running out of options. One current strategy is to look at the demand side of healthcare -- lowering employer and employee risks using wellness programs and improved population management. A company that can decrease claims through better benefits plan utilization can realize more favorable pricing through increased marketability and a larger number of interested carriers."  MORE >>

17 pages. "ICHRA adoption among U.S. employers grew by 64% between 2022 and 2023.... This year's report details how thousands of businesses from across the U.S. used their ICHRA benefit from midyear 2022 to midyear 2023. This report includes the average allowances organizations offered to employees, how employers designed their benefits, and more."  MORE >>

"[1] Decide on deliverables ... [2] Create a calendar ... [3] Use carrier resources ... [4] Wrap things up post enrollment ... [5] Plan for next year."  MORE >>

"Employees will likely seek help in the months ahead due to the re-emergence of student debt servicing. Employers should be prepared to provide resources to help employees grapple with financial stress and the new pressures the resumption of federal student loans may trigger.... Student loan assistance programs ... can provide support and guidance for employees, helping them navigate their options and reduce their debt as much as possible."  MORE >>

"GAO found plan sponsors -- private companies that provide voluntary Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage -- received $48.6 billion in rebates from drug manufacturers in 2021.... GAO found that rebates may influence formulary design in ways that could affect beneficiary access for certain drugs.... [M]onitoring rebate and expenditure data would not require CMS to interfere with negotiations between plan sponsors and manufacturers, and it could provide CMS and Congress insight on the extent to which rebates' influence on formularies could discourage enrollment of certain beneficiaries." [GAO-23-107056]  MORE >>

"The growth of estate planning benefits is driven by a number of factors, notably the COVID-19 pandemic, which has put matters of life and death front and center for many employees.... Through estate planning benefits or services through a legal benefit, employees can receive relevant advice and coordination services so they can prepare and coordinate their will and other planning documents. The benefits can be both employer- and employee-paid."  MORE >>

"[T]op HR priorities for healthcare employers include: [1] A well-thought-out total rewards strategy is imperative for employee retention and engagement.... [2] Employers are looking for ways to expand mental health services and acceptability.... [3] Concerns about burnout are prompting employers to enhance career wellbeing resources ... [4] Financial wellbeing is increasingly important to employees, with 49% of healthcare organizations opting to auto-enroll their employees in a 401(k) or 403(b) plan."  MORE >>

"Section 510 of ERISA bars retaliation or similar employment actions against employees who exercise their rights under ERISA. For years, such claims.... lacked legs.... Recent decisions ... suggest that this dynamic is well on its way to changing, and that recovery under Section 510 is a risk that plan sponsors and their lawyers now have to take seriously at all times." [Kairys v. S. Pines Trucking, Inc., No. 22-1783 (3d Cir. July 25, 2023)]  MORE >>