Affordable Care Act, MHPAEA, Employer Group Health Plans

Can a Self-Funded Group Health Plan Exclude Coverage for Gender-Affirming Care?

Verrill on 5/28/2024

We are sometimes asked whether a self-funded group health plan is required to cover gender-affirming medical services. As this post explains in detail, it is generally impracticable for a self-funded ERISA-covered plan to...more

Year-End Health Benefits Roundup 2023

Alston & Bird on 12/7/2023

It was a lively year for health benefits. Our Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group unpacks 2023, from the end of the COVID-19 emergencies to the much-anticipated Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act...more

2023 End-of-Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” Lists (Part 1) Health and Welfare

Snell & Wilmer on 10/12/2023

We are pleased to present our annual End of Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” Lists. This year, we present our “To Do” Lists in four separate Employee Benefits Updates. This Part 1 covers year-end health and welfare plan issues....more

The ‘No More Restrictive’ Requirement for NQTLs Under the Proposed MHPAEA Regulations

McDermott Will & Emery on 8/29/2023

We previously reported on proposed regulations under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). If adopted in final form, these regulations would vastly complicate compliance by group health plans and health...more

Compliance Alert: CAA, 2023 Eliminates MHPAEA Exemption for Self-Funded Non-Federal Governmental Health Plans

Woodruff Sawyer on 1/13/2023

On December 29, 2022, the President signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (“CAA, 2023”), into law. The CAA, 2023, which is largely a bipartisan spending bill, sunsets provisions of the Public Health Service Act...more

Employee Benefits Post-Dobbs: Considerations for Year-End Planning

Goodwin on 11/16/2022

Much has been written about the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson to overturn the constitutional right to abortion. For employers in particular, the Dobbs decision raised a number of questions about employee...more

Abortion as an Employee Health Benefit – How to Protect against Potential Liability Post-Dobbs

Pillsbury - Policyholder Pulse blog on 8/1/2022

Amazon. Bank of America. Citigroup. Dick’s Sporting Goods. JP Morgan. Kroger. Meta. Microsoft. Procter & Gamble. Target. Walt Disney Company. These are just a few of what is a growing list of companies that have offered to...more

Ready or Not, Mental Health Parity Reporting Has Been Effective Since February 10, 2021

Snell & Wilmer on 5/5/2021

On April 2, 2021, the Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services departments (the “Departments”) issued ACA FAQs Part 45 (“FAQ 45”), which elaborates on the new reporting requirements implemented by the Consolidated...more

Mental Health Parity Compliance Returns To Forefront for Group Health Plan Sponsors

Jackson Lewis P.C. on 5/3/2021

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA) amended the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) to include substantial new compliance requirements. The Department of Labor (DOL), Health and Human...more

2020 End of Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” List (Part 1) Health and Welfare

Snell & Wilmer on 9/28/2020

We are pleased to present our annual End of Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” Lists. This year, we present our “To Do” Lists in four separate Employee Benefits Updates. This Part 1 covers year-end health and welfare plan issues....more

Proposed Mental Health Parity Guidance Focuses on Nonquantitative Treatment Limitations

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive... on 6/8/2018

On April 23, 2018, the Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS) and Treasury (together, the “Agencies”) released proposed frequently asked questions (“FAQs”) related to nonquantitative treatment limitations...more

Recent Mental Health Parity Guidance Highlights Increased Federal Enforcement Activity

Laner Muchin, Ltd. on 5/25/2018

By way of background, the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) prevents group health plans and health insurance issuers that provide mental health or substance use disorder benefits from imposing less...more

Proposed Mental Health Parity Guidance Would Impose Burdensome Disclosure Requirements

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive... on 5/16/2018

On April 23, 2018, the Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS) and Treasury (together, the “Agencies”) released proposed frequently asked questions (“FAQs”) related to required disclosures and...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

DOL Releases Draft Model Form for Mental Health Parity Disclosure Requests

Ballard Spahr LLP on 8/25/2017

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently released a draft model form for plan participants to request disclosures from group health plans and insurers about restrictions on mental health coverage. The form is designed to...more

Recent Mental Health Parity Guidance — A Good Reminder to Review Your Health Plan for Compliance

Snell & Wilmer on 7/6/2017

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (“MHPAEA”) generally requires that the financial requirements and treatment limitations that apply to mental health and substance use disorder (“MH/SUD”) benefits...more

Health Care Reform Weekly Roundup – Issue 5

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive... on 6/22/2017

The Senate’s health care reform bill was released today, and we will report on that separately. In the meantime, below are key health care reform developments from the week of June 12th....more

Guidance Addresses Mental Health Parity

Ballard Spahr LLP on 11/7/2016

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...more

New FAQs Address Implementation of the Affordable Care Act, Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, and the Women’s Health...

McDermott Will & Emery on 5/7/2016

In Depth - The US Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS) and Treasury (collectively, the Departments) published frequently asked questions (FAQs) on April 20, 2016, clarifying the implementation of...more

No Surprises in the Final Rules Issued Under ACA

Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP on 11/25/2015

Final rules have been issued regarding grandfathered plans, pre-existing conditions, rescissions, dollar limits, claims and appeals procedures, and patient protections. These rules, effective on the first day of the plan year...more

New FAQs on Preventive Services, Wellness Program Rewards and Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment: McGuireWoods Healthcare...

McGuireWoods LLP on 11/5/2015

This is the 54th in a series of WorkCite articles concerning the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and its companion statute, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (referred to collectively as the...more

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) › MHPAEA › Employer Group Health Plans