The Health Care Reform Dashboard, published by Ballard Spahr LLP, focuses on legal developments and regulatory updates related to health care reform. It covers topics such as changes to health savings accounts (HSAs), Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting requirements, fiduciary duties in health plan offerings, pharmacy benefit management (PBM) regulations, and enforcement of No Surprises Act provisions. The blog analyzes court decisions, administrative guidance, and legislative changes affecting group health plans, employer obligations, and health insurance market rules. It serves as a resource for understanding the legal landscape impacting health benefits, compliance, and health care policy implementation.
Throughout 2020 and 2021, employers sponsoring health and welfare plans have needed to respond to a myriad of legislative and regulatory changes arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and new health legislation. To comply with these changes, employers may need
…
The IRS (with the concurrence of the DOL and HHS) has issued new guidance explaining how the extension of the deadline for paying COBRA premiums will be applied.
The extension of deadlines for individuals to elect COBRA and pay for…
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released guidance to address how the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule applies to various entities’ requests for information related to an individual’s COVID-19 vaccination status.
HHS…
…
…
The subsidy for COBRA coverage under the American Rescue Plan Act comes to an end on September 30, 2021. There is no indication at this time that the subsidy will be extended. That means that, beginning October 1, plan and…
Three federal agencies, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury, jointly released new FAQs on August 20, 2021, regarding compliance with new health plan disclosure requirements of the Transparency in Coverage Final Rules (TiCFR), the No
…
The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has continued its enforcement of the privacy and security rules included in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), announcing a…
The IRS issued a new notice that provides guidance on a few issues that were not fully addressed in its earlier notice on the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) premium subsidy requirements set forth in the American Rescue Plan Act…
The U.S. Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services, along with the federal Office of Personnel Management, have jointly issued interim final regulations under the No Surprises Act. The regulations elaborate on the already detailed requirements in…
