Our “health plan hygiene” series has focused on steps that fiduciaries of employer-sponsored group health plans can take to ensure they meet their fiduciary responsibilities. This issue has been brought to the forefront...more
A health plan’s fiduciaries are responsible for administering the health plan. Because most employers are not in the business of administering health benefits, they outsource the day-to-day health plan administration to a...more
When an employee is on an extended leave of absence, there is often confusion regarding whether and to what extent the employer must continue to provide coverage to the employee under the employer-provided health plan. To...more
Section 1557 is the non-discrimination provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Section 1557, which has been in effect since 2010, is intended to prevent discrimination in certain health programs or activities that...more
Transgender protections and rights in the workplace are currently the subject of much confusion. This issue extends to employer-sponsored health plans. Whether an employer-sponsored health plan must cover gender-affirming...more
As expected, the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (SECURE 2.0), an extensive piece of legislation aimed at retirement plan reform, is included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (the Spending Bill). The 4,000+ page, $1.7...more
The No Surprises Act (Act), which establishes protections for health plan participants from surprise medical billing, was passed in late 2020 as part of the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act....more
On March 29, 2022, the House of Representatives passed the Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2022 (SECURE 2.0, HR 2954). SECURE 2.0 is a comprehensive bill designed to increase access to retirement savings and includes a...more
On March 29, 2022, the House of Representatives passed the Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2022 (“SECURE 2.0”, HR 2954). The vote was largely supported by both parties (414-5). The Senate will likely act on the bill...more