Summary The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, (CAA) and transparency regulations introduced major changes to health benefit plans. These changes continue to evolve with some requirements just now taking effect. The Upshot The Bottom Line The CAA introduced requirements that affect how much plans must pay in certain surprise situations, how plans must document compliance with [&hellip… Continue Reading »
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York issued an order on Monday (August 17, 2020) that prevented federal rules removing nondiscrimination protections from taking effect. The rules would have removed protections against discrimination based on gender identity and sex stereotyping from the nondiscrimination provision within the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). [&hellip… Continue Reading »
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released proposed regulations that, if finalized, will significantly narrow the scope of the nondiscrimination requirements under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Section 1557 prohibits certain health programs from discriminating against individuals on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability, [&hellip… Continue Reading »
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued final regulations under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) which prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in certain health programs and activities. To be subject to these nondiscrimination rules, the health program or activity [&hellip… Continue Reading »
The U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury have jointly issued a new set of FAQs that clarifies the application of the rules establishing cost-sharing limits. For 2016, non-grandfathered group health plans must cap the amount that plan participants pay in deductibles, copayments, coinsurance and the like at $6,850 for self-only [&hellip… Continue Reading »
Facing the application of new nondiscrimination rules imposed by national health care reform legislation, insured health plans have been granted a reprieve. According to IRS Notice 2011-1, the government agencies responsible for administering the health care reform law (U.S. Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services) have agreed to delay enforcement of the [&hellip… Continue Reading »
