Affordable Care Act, Employer Group Health Plans, Cost-Sharing

ACA-Required Coverage of Contraceptive Care Remains Agency Focus

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,... on 3/7/2024

Once again, the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury have issued guidance on the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) required coverage of contraception without cost sharing, clarifying the permitted...more

Navigating the Wild West of the New ACA Preventative Care Ruling

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on 5/12/2023

On March 30, Judge Reed O’Connor of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued a decision in Braidwood Management Inc. v. Becerra (“Braidwood”), invalidating the Affordable Care Act’s (“ACA’s”) mandate...more

Federal Court Blocks Enforcement of Some ACA Preventive Health Service Requirements: What Plan Sponsors Should Consider

Dickinson Wright on 5/8/2023

In a March 2023 ruling, a Texas federal district court vacated all actions taken by the Departments of Labor (“DOL”), Health and Human Services (“HHS”), and Treasury (collectively, the “Departments”) to implement or enforce...more

Departments Issue Guidance on Preventive Services under the ACA Following the Braidwood Decision

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP on 4/21/2023

In light of the March 30 Braidwood Mgmt. Inc. v. Becerra decision, the Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, and Department of the Treasury (the “departments”) have issued FAQ guidance on how the...more

Federal District Court’s Ruling on Affordable Care Act Preventive Care Eases Employer Burden—at Least for Now

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,... on 4/20/2023

Employers, at least for now, may have some relief from some of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements to cover preventive care services without cost sharing under a nationwide injunction issued March 30, 2023, by a...more

Tri-Agencies Address Preventive Services Coverage in the Wake of Braidwood

McDermott Will & Emery on 4/18/2023

In response to Braidwood Mgmt. Inc. v. Becerra, a recent case striking down part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) preventive services mandate, the US Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury...more

ACA Preventive Service Requirements Partially Vacated

Groom Law Group, Chartered on 4/3/2023

On March 30, 2023, the District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued an opinion and order in Braidwood Mgmt. Inc. v. Becerra that vacates the implementation and enforcement of certain preventive service provisions...more

Departments Clarify that HIV PrEP Services Must Be Free by September 17

Snell & Wilmer on 8/19/2021

Back in June of 2019, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (“USPSTF”) released an A-rated recommendation for HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis (“PrEP”). As a result, the Affordable Care Act’s preventive care rules...more

Guidance Reminds Health Plans to Check Up on Preventive Care Compliance

Jackson Walker on 7/23/2021

On July 19, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Department of Labor, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (the “Tri-Agencies”) issued new frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the implementation of...more

Transparency in coverage rule - Potential implications for self-insured health plans

Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP on 12/4/2019

On November 15, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, and the Department of the Treasury (collectively, the “Agencies”) issued a proposed "Transparency in Coverage" rule that would require most...more

Employers May Need to Provide Cost Data Under Proposed ACA Rules

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,... on 11/26/2019

Employer-sponsored health plans and health insurers may be required to post online - and to provide participants upon request - a range of pricing and cost-sharing information beginning in 2021. Proposed Affordable Care...more

Ninth Circuit Enjoins ACA Religious Exemption Rules

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP on 11/13/2019

The Affordable Care Act requires that employer-sponsored group medical insurance plans provide contraceptive coverage without cost sharing. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued final...more

A Momentary Victory for the ACA: Federal Judge Issues a Nationwide Injunction against Trump Administration’s Contraceptive...

McDermott Will & Emery on 1/25/2019

On January 14, 2019, US District Judge Wendy Beetlestone in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania issued a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration’s carveouts to the...more

Massachusetts to (Again) Require Health Care Reporting by Employers

Mintz - Employment Viewpoints on 1/17/2018

Massachusetts employers with 6 or more employees will soon be required to prepare and file a new health care reporting form referred to as the “healthcare coverage form.” While reminiscent of the now repealed “Health...more

Assessing President Trump’s “Executive Order Promoting Health Care Choice and Competition”

Epstein Becker & Green on 10/25/2017

On October 12, 2017, President Donald Trump signed an executive order (the “Order”) designed to “promote healthcare choice and competition across the United States,” which in effect will allow many Americans to sidestep...more

BC Healthcare Restructuring Update: R CSR’s O-U-T? Less U.S. Gov’t $$ = More 11s . . .?

BCLP on 10/19/2017

Ok, if your attention span is anything like ours, all this wonky stuff about the ins and outs of the Affordable Care Act (or “ObamaCare,” as most of us know it) causes your eyes to glaze over and makes your mind wander to...more

Back in the Spotlight: The Affordable Care Act Again Takes Center Stage

Ballard Spahr LLP on 10/19/2017

After a brief lull in activity, recent developments are likely to involve all three branches of government in addressing issues under the Affordable Care Act....more

2017 End of Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” List (Part 1) Health & Welfare

Snell & Wilmer on 10/18/2017

As 2017 comes to an end, we are pleased to present our traditional End of Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” Lists. This year, we are presenting our “To Do” Lists in four separate Employee Benefits Updates. This Part 1 will cover...more

Blog: With Congress Stuck, Administration Starts Process Of Unwinding ACA

Cooley LLP on 10/18/2017

Last week, the Administration took two actions aimed at rattling the foundations of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The President signed an Executive Order (EO) directing federal agencies to relax restrictions on insurance...more

Trump Administration Takes Aim at ACA With AHP Executive Order

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on 10/16/2017

Thursday, October 12th, on the heels of the recent and repeated failures to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), President Donald Trump signed an executive order nominally aimed at increasing competition in the...more

Trump Administration Pulls the Plug on CSR Payments

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on 10/16/2017

After months of veiled threats, President Trump formally announced that his Administration will cease funding Cost-Sharing Reduction (“CSR”) payments, a key component of the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) intended to help...more

Health Care Reform Roundup – Issue 9

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive... on 9/7/2017

After health care reform efforts failed in late-Spring/early-Summer, things have been quiet. However, Congress returned to DC this week. Although legislative focus now appears to be on general tax reform, we expect some...more

Senate Rejects Proposals to Repeal and Replace Affordable Care Act

McDermott Will & Emery on 8/5/2017

Senate Republicans failed to pass legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act last week. After voting to proceed with debate on the American Health Care Act, which was passed by the House in May, the Senate...more

Updated Health Care Reform Legislation Comparison Chart

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive... on 7/15/2017

The chart below compares key provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the American Health Care Act (AHCA) and the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). This chart is current as of July 13, 2017, and as of that date,...more

Better Care Reconciliation Act – Key Takeaways for Employers and Plan Sponsors

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive... on 6/30/2017

On June 22, 2017, the Senate released its much anticipated health care reform legislation – the Better Care Reconciliation Act (“BCRA”) (linked to amended version released June 26, 2017). In many respects the BCRA is similar...more

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) › Employer Group Health Plans › Cost-Sharing

"My best business intelligence, in one easy email…"