Health Care Reform Dashboard

Health Care Reform Dashboard

Charting Developments with the
Affordable Care Act and Beyond

Preventive Services

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07/05/2023

COVID-19 Coverage Without a Deductible Ends After 2024

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued new guidance, Notice 2023-37, which states that for plan years ending after December 31, 2024, HSA-compatible high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) will no longer be permitted to cover COVID-19 testing and treatment before the minimum deductible is satisfied. This guidance answers the question of how long these exceptions to the [&hellip… Continue Reading »
06/21/2023

Preventive Care Rules Remain in Place for Now

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has stayed the broad application of a district court decision that would have invalidated a number of preventive care requirements under the Affordable Care Act. As a result, health plans, other than those directly involved in the litigation, will continue to be required to cover the full cost of preventive [&hellip… Continue Reading »
04/20/2023

FAQs Provide Guidance on Preventive Care

Summary The Departments of Labor, the Treasury, and Health and Human Services have jointly issued FAQs that address the requirement to cover the full cost of certain preventive care services in view of the recent ruling in Braidwood v. Bacerra that invalidated some of those requirements. The Upshot The Bottom Line Given that the Biden Administration expects to challenge [&hellip… Continue Reading »
04/04/2023

Court Invalidates Certain Preventive Care Requirements

Summary Health plans and insurance policies may no longer be required to cover the full cost of preventive care that carries an A or B rating by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), following a recent ruling by a federal district court in Texas. The Upshot The Bottom Line Health plans and insurers may [&hellip… Continue Reading »
01/21/2022

DHHS Approves Updates to Preventive Items and Services to be Covered Without Cost-Sharing

Revisions to preventive care and screening guidelines will require health plans and health insurance policies to provide 100 percent coverage for additional services for women, adolescents, children, and infants, following an update issued by the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The HRSA update modifies certain [&hellip… Continue Reading »
01/20/2017

Health Care Reform in Transition While Congress Deliberates

Changes are imminent for the Affordable Care Act and a range of other laws and regulations affecting the health care industry. Ballard Spahr attorneys established a Health Care Reform Initiative in 2008 to monitor and analyze health care reform developments. This Health Care Reform Dashboard was a product of that initiative. We intend to continue following [&hellip… Continue Reading »
11/05/2016

Guidance Addresses Mental Health Parity

The U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury have issued a set of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers that, among other things, implement certain of the recommendations included in a report issued by the White House Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Task Force. This guidance manifests the administration’s continuing [&hellip… Continue Reading »
10/24/2016

Temporary Relief for Certain Student Health Plans Extended Indefinitely

In recently issued guidance, the U.S. Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services indicated that they will indefinitely extend relief to colleges and universities that subsidize the cost of individual insurance premiums for student employees. Under previously issued guidance, a health reimbursement arrangement or other program that pays some or all of the premium [&hellip… Continue Reading »
02/11/2016

Temporary Relief for Certain Student Health Plans

In recent guidance, the U.S. Departments of Treasury, Labor , and Health and Human Services have extended transitional relief to colleges and universities that subsidize the cost of individual insurance premiums for student employees. Under previously issued guidance, a health reimbursement arrangement or other program that pays some or all of the premium for individual [&hellip… Continue Reading »
07/30/2015

Final Rules for Preventive Services

The U.S. Departments of Treasury, Labor (DOL) and Health and Human Services (HHS) have issued interim final regulations and Frequently Asked Questions and Answers on the cost-free coverage of preventive services under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Although the regulations address many preventive care subjects, all of the attention has focused on the changes to [&hellip… Continue Reading »
05/13/2015

Guidance Clarifies Certain Preventive Care Requirements

Recent guidance issued jointly by the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury clarifies how the Affordable Care Act’s requirement to provide cost-free coverage for preventive care applies to several types of products and services. In particular, the guidance clarifies that:  Coverage for all types of contraception (currently 18 different types are [&hellip… Continue Reading »
08/25/2014

Government Agencies Release Further Accommodations to Organizations Opposing Mandated Contraceptive Coverage

In response to the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, Inc., the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Labor (DOL) published proposed rules on August 22, 2014, expanding the availability of the religious accommodation to the contraceptive mandate provided in their July 2013 final regulations to closely held [&hellip… Continue Reading »
05/07/2014

New FAQs Address Effect of Affordable Care Act on COBRA and Other Matters

In a wide-ranging set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and other guidance, the U.S. Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services have addressed a number of issues pertaining to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). They include issues pertaining to COBRA and the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA), annual cost-sharing limits, preventive care, [&hellip… Continue Reading »
07/02/2013

Final Regulations Issued on Contraceptive Coverage, Religious Organizations

The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury recently released final regulations on the exemption from providing coverage for contraceptive and certain other preventive services that is available to certain religious organizations. The final regulations apply to plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2014. The final rules adopt most of the [&hellip… Continue Reading »
02/26/2013

Agencies Issue New FAQs on Affordable Care Act Issues

The U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury have collectively issued a new series of frequently asked questions and answers primarily directed toward preventive care issues. The new FAQs address a range of specific issues relating to the requirement that health plans (other than grandfathered plans) make coverage for preventive care available without [&hellip… Continue Reading »
02/05/2013

Expanded Contraception Coverage Exemption for Religious Organizations Proposed by HHS and IRS

The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Treasury have released proposed regulations, a fact sheet, and a press release on the Affordable Care Act contraceptives coverage under Women’s Preventive Health Services and the exemption for religious organizations. This proposal, issued on January 30, 2013, attempts to accommodate religious employers’ objections to all or some [&hellip… Continue Reading »
08/05/2011

Additional Guidelines Issued on Health Plan Coverage for Women’s Preventive Health Care

The federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has endorsed new guidelines for the coverage of women’s preventive health care services applicable to group health plans. Although many group health plans already cover a range of women’s preventive health care services, employers and other plan sponsors will need to assess the scope of their plans’ [&hellip… Continue Reading »
07/19/2010

New Regulations Address Preventive Services under Health Care Reform

The U.S. Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services have jointly released regulations that address the preventive health care requirements established by the recent health care reform legislation. The regulations apply to plan years beginning on and after September 23, 2010. For calendar year plans, the rules take effect January 1, 2011. The [&hellip… Continue Reading »
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