High Deductible Health Plans
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Enrolling in a high deductible health plan (HDHP) allows you to place pre-tax earnings in a health savings account (HSA). Then, you can use these saved funds to pay for medical, dental and vision care, and most medications.
The Basics of HDHPs
Many people enroll in an HDHP, a health insurance option that does not cover your first dollar of medical expenses. Instead, these plans have a high deductible that must be met before most services are covered at 100 percent. In general, the deductible must apply to all medical expenses (including prescriptions) covered by the plan. However, plans can pay for “preventive care” services on a first-dollar basis (with or without a copay), including routine prenatal and well-child care, child and adult immunizations, annual physicals, mammograms, pap smears, etc.
HDHPs and HSAs: Their Connection
An HSA is an account that can be funded with your tax-exempt dollars, by your employer, or by both, to help pay for eligible medical expenses not covered by your insurance plan.
Anyone who meets the following criteria is eligible for an HSA:
- Covered by an HDHP, and not covered by any other plan that is not an HDHP
- Not entitled to Medicare benefits
- Not eligible to be claimed on another person’s tax return
After visiting your physician, health care facility or pharmacy, your medical claim will be submitted to your HDHP for payment. Then, you can use your HSA to pay for out-of-pocket expenses that were not covered by your plan. Or, you can simply save your money in your HSA for future medical costs.
For more information on HSAs, ask RISQ Consulting about their HSA flyer!
Why Enroll in a HDHP and Open an HSA?
- Once your deductible is met, most medical costs are covered at 100 percent.
- Contributions to and withdrawals from HSAs for qualified expenses are tax-exempt
- Ability to save for future medical expenses
- Funds roll over from year to year
- If the account is through your employer and you leave, you take it with you.
- You control and manage your health care expenses.
Contributions Are Easy!
Once enrolled in an HDHP, you (and your employer if the account is through your job) can make contributions to your HSA. Remember though, your total contributions are limited annually.
If you make contributions, you can deduct them (even if you do not itemize your deductions) when filling out your income tax return.
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Vehicle Thefts Surpassed 1 Million in 2022
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Vehicle thefts nationwide surpassed 1 million last year. This was a 7% increase over 2021 numbers and the first time thefts reached that total since 2008, according to a new analysis from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).
“We are seeing vehicle theft numbers that we haven’t seen in nearly 15 years, and there is very little deterrent to stop criminals from committing these acts,” David Glawe, president and chief executive of NICB, said in a statement. “We must reinvest in local law enforcement, provide the necessary resources for prosecution and community policing programs and implement early intervention programs given the high incidence of juvenile offenders involved in vehicle thefts.”
Law enforcement agencies and communities reported over 250,000 thefts in the fourth quarter of 2022. California and Texas led the nation last year with the most reported stolen vehicles at roughly 202,700 and 105,000, respectively. Among the 10 states with the most vehicle thefts, Illinois (sixth-highest overall) had the most significant year-over-year increase of 35%. Following that was Washington (third-highest overall), with an increase of 31% from 2021.
The remaining states in the top 10 were Florida, Colorado, Ohio, Missouri, New York and Georgia. NICB used data from the National Crime Information Center to conduct its analysis.
Thefts of Kia and Hyundai vehicles spiked in recent years. In September, the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) called Hyundai and Kia vehicles “easy targets” since many 2015 to 2019 model-year vehicles lack electronic immobilizers.
Electronic immobilizers prevent thieves from simply breaking into a vehicle and bypassing the ignition. Immobilizers were standard on 96% of other manufacturers’ vehicles in 2015 but standard on only 26% of Hyundai and Kia models, according to IIHS.
Some insurers, including Progressive and State Farm, started refusing to write policies for Hyundai and Kia models in certain cities. Michigan’s Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) issued a bulletin reminding insurers the state requires they offer auto insurance to all residents regardless of make or model—including Kia and Hyundai vehicles.
“In other states, some insurers have attempted to deny or limit auto coverage for [Kia and Hyundai vehicles],” Anita Fox, director of Michigan’s DIFS, said in a statement. “Our new bulletin clearly states that such actions are prohibited in Michigan. DIFS will continue to ensure that every eligible Michigan driver can get the auto insurance they need to legally drive on Michigan roads.”
Insurers can respond to the “indisputably” increased risk of Kia and Hyundai thefts by charging more for comprehensive coverage or choosing not to insure them, Robert Passmore, department vice president of personal lines at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA), said.
“That said, any action that insurer would take would have to be in accordance with state law,” Passmore said in a written statement. States have rules about rate filing, canceling, and non-renewals. Also, some states have “take all comers” requirements prohibiting insurers from denying coverage based on vehicle make and model.
Kia and Hyundai have software fixes and other anti-theft devices available to drivers. Vehicle owners should contact their local dealer for more information. And, when shopping for insurance, be sure to let the insurer know if their vehicle has had the software upgrade.
Last year’s roughly 1.02 million stolen vehicles were just under 2008’s total of 1.05 million. NICB noted that law enforcement may still report thefts from 2022, meaning the numbers may change.
NICB recommends that vehicle owners follow good security practices and that their auto insurance policies are current. Owners should roll up their windows, lock their car doors, park personal vehicles in a garage, and park in well-lit areas.
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The RISQ RECAP:
March 6th – March 10th, 2023
Each week, you’ll find specially curated news articles to keep you up to date on the ever-evolving world of insurance and risk management. The articles are divided out between items relevant to Property & Casualty, Employee Benefits/Human Resources, and Compliance. We’ve included brief summaries of each item as well as a link to the original articles.
PROPERTY & CASUALTY
Livestock Operations Grow as Demand Rises; Nationwide’s Cumings Sees Direct-to-Consumer Models Adding Additional Liability Risk
“Specialization is critical in the cattle business and increased consumer demand for protein is driving new trends, including niche farms that offer direct-to-consumer strategies. In today’s evolving and growing livestock landscape, deep knowledge of market conditions and specialization is key to success, according to Erin Cumings, a senior consultant with Nationwide’s sponsor relation team who has years of agribusiness underwriting expertise. But for those agents willing to develop that expertise, she sees opportunities for agents in this changing and dynamic market.” Full Article
– Insurance Journal
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, HUMAN RESOURCES, & COMPLIANCE
DOL Issues Internal Guidance on Telework Under the FLSA & FMLA “FAB 2023-1 addresses FLSA regulations governing “hours worked,” rules related to break time and privacy for nursing employees, and regulations regarding FMLA eligibility factors.” Full Article – Jackson Lewis
OSHA Implements Pilot Program to Streamline Complaint Intake Process “This pilot program aims to relieve the strain on OSHA’s investigative resources by allowing an investigator to administratively close a complaint without needing to contact the Complainant.” Full Article – Proskauer Rose
Tick-Tock-Time for Healthcare Employers to Review Their Internet and Social Media Use Policies! “Every healthcare organization, from small medical groups to large health systems, should adopt a social media use policy that outlines permissible uses, best practices, and potential discipline in the event of violations by their employees.” Full Article – Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton
Paid Leave for USERRA? We Recommend a Comparability Analysis “The Ninth Circuit recently addressed the issue of whether an employer is required to provide pay for employees taking short-term military leave when it offers other types of short-term paid leave. In Clarkson v. Alaska Airlines, Inc., the Ninth Circuit revived a class action claiming discrimination under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) for the failure to pay short-term military leave.” Full Article – Baker McKenzie
Supreme Court Upholds Ruling That FLSA Overtime Exemption Didn’t Apply to Day-Rate Rig Worker “On Sept. 9, 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held a highly compensated rig worker was not exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA’s) overtime requirements because the employee was paid on a day rate as opposed to a guaranteed salary. On Feb. 22, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed this decision.” Full Article – McGuire Woods
NLRB Prohibits Confidentiality and Non-Disparagement Provisions in Severance Agreements with Broad Implications “On February 21, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or Board) reversed course from its own Trump-era precedent when it held that an employer’s offer of employee severance agreements with broad confidentiality and non- disparagement provisions is an unfair labor practice in violation of Section 8(a)(1) of the National Labor Relations Act (Act).” Full Article – Troutman Pepper
STATE & INTERNATIONAL COMPLIANCE
In addition to the RISQ Review, RISQ Consulting also provides a resource that features changes and updates to State and International Compliance measures. We’ve included brief summaries of each item below, and also provided links to the original articles if you’d like to read further.
Illinois Supreme Court Rules BIPA Claims Accrue With Each Scan “On February 17, the Illinois Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in Cothron v. White Castle, holding that a claim under Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) is triggered upon each biometric scan, rather than just the first.” Full Article – Troutman PepperILLINOIS
Seattle Becomes the First U.S. Jurisdiction to Prohibit Caste Discrimination “On February 21, 2023, the City of Seattle, Washington became the first U.S. city – or any U.S. jurisdiction for that matter – to add caste to its list1 of categories protected against discrimination.” Full Article – Littler MendelsonWASHINGTON
Massachusetts May Be Next in Line to Enact Pay Transparency Laws “The proposed law focuses on a broad range of employee and wage data, including the number of employees by race, ethnicity, and gender that fall within certain job categories or roles, and their corresponding wage information.” Full Article – Nelson Mullins Riley & ScarboroughMASSACHUSETTS
New Jersey Enacts First-of-Its-Kind Temporary Workers’ Bill of Rights “Under the law, employers must pay temporary workers no less than the average rate of pay and cost of benefits provided to company employees in similar positions who perform the same or substantially similar work. It also gives temporary workers rights to certain information on the terms and conditions of their engagement and imposes significant obligations on staffing agencies and their clients.” Full Article – Morgan Lewis & BockiusNEW JERSEY
CA Win for Employers: Ninth Circuit Holds That California AB 51 Prohibiting Mandatory Arbitration is Preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act ““As of February 15, 2023, employers in California may once again require mandatory arbitration as the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) preempts Assembly Bill 51 (AB 51), a law that prohibited “forced arbitration” as a condition of employment.” Full Article – McDermott Will & EmeryCALIFORNIA
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The Productivity Technique That Actually Works For Me
By Ashley Snodgrass, Employee Benefits Analyst
If you are having a hard time structuring your workday, I would recommend trying out the Pomodoro Technique. It’s not just an Italian tomato, it’s also a fantastic time structuring system. I have found this method to be the best at keeping me focused on prioritizing the right tasks all day long. The essence of the technique is to work for a short stint (called a Pomodoro), then take a short break. After completing 4 Pomodoro’s, take a longer break. Continue to repeat the work/break cycle until you’ve completed your tasks for the day.
Here’s a great visual of what this technique looks like:
I prefer to use a visual timer such as this one to keep me on track. If novelty intrigues you, try this Tomato Timer or this YouTube Morning Forest Lofi Timer. If you prefer a timer that lives outside your computer, you could use your phone timer, or even a desk timer like this or this to keep track of your work time and break time.
Before I used the Pomodoro Technique, I treated my workday as one big sprint. I went from task to task, which often left me overwhelmed, burnt out, and lacking focus. By adding in structured breaks, my productivity and focus has increased significantly.
If you’d like to learn more about this technique and its benefits, I highly recommend referring to these below resources:
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Stronger Hurricanes to Put More Properties at Risk
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Over 13.4 million properties not currently exposed to hurricane-force wind damage will face increased risk over the next 30 years as climate change propels more intense storms, according to new research from First Street Foundation.
“Compared to the historic location and severity of tropical cyclones, this next generation of hurricane strength will bring unavoidable financial impacts and devastation that have not yet been priced into the market,” said Matthew Eby, founder and CEO of First Street, a nonprofit research and technology group.
First Street’s models also estimated the average annual loss due to tropical cyclone damage rising to $19.9 billion, with about $1 billion in higher exposure in Florida alone.
Other regions that face lower exposure now will be even more at risk in the future, First Street warned. The study projected losses in the Northeastern United States to increase by 87% over the next three decades as hurricanes track further north.
“The northward increase in hurricane activity may significantly impact buildings that have not been built to a code that considers the wind speeds they will likely face over the next 30 years,” researchers said. “Additionally, the count of properties with any average annual loss from wind will increase by about 55%, with about 2.2 million newly-impacted properties by 2053.”
The total number of storms isn’t expected to change, but the intensity will, according to the report. Historical evidence already illustrates rising risk: The proportion of major hurricanes (Categories 3, 4, and 5) has quadrupled since the 1980s, from 10% of all tropical cyclone events to over 40% today. First Street attributed the change to rising air and sea-surface temperatures fueling storms, as well as increased moisture levels in the air and shifts in wind patterns.
“Hurricanes affect communities within the United States more frequently and severely than other natural disasters,” said First Street in the report. “As a result, tropical cyclones have caused a total of $1.194 trillion (consumer price index-adjusted) in losses in the United States between 1980 and 2022, with an average cost of approximately $21 billion per event.”
Understanding evolving risk can help insurers set property rates more accurately, assist communities in developing resiliency plans and allocating resources, and give property owners information on how to better protect themselves and their homes and businesses, First Street said.
For more risk management news and insights, contact RISQ Consulting today.
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The RISQ RECAP:
February 20th – February 24th, 2023
Each week, you’ll find specially curated news articles to keep you up to date on the ever-evolving world of insurance and risk management. The articles are divided out between items relevant to Property & Casualty, Employee Benefits/Human Resources, and Compliance. We’ve included brief summaries of each item as well as a link to the original articles.
PROPERTY & CASUALTY
Hopeful Cannabis Sales Data an Encouraging Sign for Insurance Specialists
“News has been rife with dreary tidings for the cannabis industry over the past year, but a surprisingly encouraging outlook has emerged among the persistent din of downward harbingers like a flower glut, investment funding shrinkage, and layoffs. Industry sales are expected to continue to rise this year – though not so much for those focused on the Western U.S., where most of the nation’s mature markets are and new data points to negative short-term trends. Beneath it all, both the good and bad in the data may ultimately be positive indicators for insuring cannabis specialists, according to two brokers who have been in the space for years. U.S. legal cannabis sales may grow 14% by year’s end, while overall global growth and spending is on track to yield a market size of $59.6 billion by 2027, a report out today from market intelligence and data provider BDSA shows.” Full Article
– Insurance Journal
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, HUMAN RESOURCES, & COMPLIANCE
Employers, Do No Delay in Responding to A Request for Reasonable Accommodation “When dealing with a request for reasonable accommodation, “an indeterminate delay has the same effect as an outright denial,” as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit recently noted.” Full Article – Shawe Rosenthal LLP
DOL Clarifies Whether FLSA and FMLA Protections Apply to Remote Employees “The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued new guidance regarding how remote employees should be paid under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and when they are eligible for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).” Full Article – Phelps Dunbar LLP
ADA and Hearing Disabilities in the Workplace “The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued new technical assistance, “Hearing Disabilities in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act,” addressing how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to job applicants and employees with hearing disabilities.” Full Article – Jackson Lewis P.C.
EEOC Continues to Prioritize its Focus on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Employment Decisions “The EEOC first announced its Artificial Intelligence initiative in 2021. The initiative was created to ensure the use of software, including AI and other technologies used in employment decisions, comply with the federal employment laws it is tasked with enforcing.” Full Article – Baker, Sterchi, Cowden & Rice LLC
4 Tips to Avoid (Or At Least Dull) Headaches When Conducting Layoffs in the US “As we find ourselves firmly in the middle of Q1 of 2023, the avalanche of layoff headlines that started last quarter just keeps coming. Whether you follow the school of thought that the US entered a recession in summer of 2022 (after two consecutive quarters of negative gross domestic product) or not (given a strong labor market and corporate earnings growth), more and more companies are having to address overzealous pandemic hiring and the backlash from soaring company valuations.” Full Article – Baker & McKenzie LLP
No Dogs Allowed: Federal Court Rejects Service Dog Accommodation in Hospital Setting “Most of us know that when an employee or visitor to a place of public accommodation requests a reasonable accommodation, the ADA requires an interactive process to make an individualized determination. But what about a request from a nursing intern to bring her service dog… to a hospital… around patients? Could this qualify as a reasonable accommodation? In Bennett v. Hurley Medical Center, one federal just says, “not always.” Full Article – Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
STATE & INTERNATIONAL COMPLIANCE
In addition to the RISQ Review, RISQ Consulting also provides a resource that features changes and updates to State and International Compliance measures. We’ve included brief summaries of each item below, and also provided links to the original articles if you’d like to read further.
New York State Legislature Proposes Amendments to Pay Transparency Law Taking Effect This Year “The most notable revision would provide that the law applies to remote positions physically performed outside of New York that report to a New York supervisor, office, or work site. The bill is currently before Governor Hochul, and if signed, would become part of the law taking effect in September.” Full Article – Proskauer Rose LLPNEW YORK
Illinois Equal Pay Certification: A Practical Guide for Employer Compliance “The EPA Amendments make the Illinois Equal Pay Act one of the most demanding pay transparency statutes in the country because it requires employers with 100 or more employees in Illinois to submit employee pay data and a signed compliance statement to obtain an Equal Pay Registration Certificate (EPRC).” Full Article – Littler Mendelson P.C.ILLINOIS
Impact of New Jersey’s Just-Signed Temporary Workers’ Bill of Rights “On February 6, 2023, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law A1474/S511, commonly referred to as the “Temporary Workers’ Bill of Rights.” The bill offers additional compensation, benefits and protections for temporary workers, with the cost and burden of compliance placed on employers and staffing agencies that place temporary workers.” Full Article – Greenbaum Rowe Smith & Davis LLPNEW JERSEY
Connecticut Expands Employment Anti-Discrimination Protections “The Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act (CFEPA) prohibits discrimination based on many protected characteristics, such as race, age, gender, gender identity, religion, and disability. The CFEPA is broader than federal anti-discrimination laws in both scope (it covers more categories of employees) and reach (it applies to more employers).” Full Article – Day Pitney LLPCONNECTICUT
Ninth Circuit Reverses Itself and Strikes Down California Law Targeting Mandatory Employment Arbitration Agreements “In a reversal of its prior ruling, the Ninth Circuit recently held that the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) preempts California Assembly Bill 51 (AB 51), a 2019 measure that aimed to bar employers from entering into new agreements—or extending previous ones—requiring job applicants or workers to arbitrate claims under the California Labor Code or California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA).” Full Article – Morrison Foerster P.C.CALIFORNIA
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Report: Managers Impact Employee Mental Health More Than Doctors, Therapists
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
A new report from The Workforce Institute at UKG revealed that managers impact employee mental health more than doctors and therapists. The study conducted for the report surveyed 3,400 people in 10 countries, including the United States, to explore mental health in and outside work.
Not surprisingly, work impacts employee mental health, and organizational leaders and managers can be critical in supporting workers. Consider the following key findings from the report:
- Work influences mental health the most, according to 60% of employees.
- Managers impact employee mental health (69%) more than doctors (51%) or therapists (41%).
- Managers have just as much an impact on employee mental health as a spouse or partner (69%).
- Mental health is valued over a high-paying job by most employees (81%), and 64% would take a pay cut for a job that better supports their mental wellness.
- Work stress negatively impacts employees’ home life (71%), well-being (64%) and relationships (62%).
The research also revealed that managers are often more stressed than their team members and senior leadership. Companies are encouraged to be inclusive with mental health support and not forget about managers in their efforts.
“Being overwhelmed consumes human energy and impacts retention, performance, innovation and culture. Employers can be the anchor of stability for their people by giving them the support and resources they need—not just what we think they need.”
– Jarik Conrad, executive director of The Workforce Institute at UKG
What Can Employers Do?
Workers want their employers and managers to do more to support mental health. They are also willing to make trade-offs for their mental health, as nearly two-thirds of employees would take a pay cut for a job that better supports their mental health. Fortunately, managers can play a vital role in supporting employees, which can bolster employee attraction and retention efforts. Employers can create supportive work environments by being authentic, building empathy and listening actively to employees.
Contact RISQ Consulting for additional mental health and employee communication resources.
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Why You Should Care About the End of COVID-19
By Ashley Snodgrass, Employee Benefits Analyst
The end of COVID has been up for debate. Some people feel as though the pandemic was over when the mask mandates went away, while others think the pandemic ended as soon as vaccines were available. And then there are some super rosy people who say the pandemic will never be over! What is the truth?
One way to look at the end of COVID-19 is to recall the start of the pandemic. On January 31, 2020, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar, declared a public health emergency due to confirmed cases in the United States of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus. This official order stated the public health emergency has existed since January 27, 2020. After a long and interesting three years, the Biden Administration is ready to end the public health emergency on May 11, 2023. Even though life has resumed some semblance of a “new normal” for many people, the end of this public health emergency will still have some meaningful impacts for health plans.
For example, health plans will no longer have to cover COVID-19 testing with no member cost sharing. Also, health plans will only be required to cover in-network COVID-19 vaccines, similar to other preventive services requirements. Health plans that offer COBRA coverage must ensure that regular deadlines resume too – such as the 60-day election period for COBRA.
I would recommend that you review this handy document from Zywave for a detailed account of all the changes that will be triggered by the end of the public health emergency. Don’t let these end-of-pandemic changes catch you as off guard as the start of the pandemic.
For questions about what this could mean for your organization, please contact your RISQ Employee Benefits Consultants or Account Executive, or info@risqconsulting.com.
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The RISQ RECAP:
February 13th – February 17th, 2023
Each week, you’ll find specially curated news articles to keep you up to date on the ever-evolving world of insurance and risk management. The articles are divided out between items relevant to Property & Casualty, Employee Benefits/Human Resources, and Compliance. We’ve included brief summaries of each item as well as a link to the original articles.
PROPERTY & CASUALTY
Google Case at Supreme Court Risks Upending the Internet as We Know It
“An upcoming Supreme Court case could answer one of the toughest questions of the internet age: Should online companies be held responsible for promoting harmful speech? The case, Gonzalez v. Google, could upend the modern internet economy, sparing no online business. A ruling against Google will likely leave internet companies — from social media platforms to travel websites to online marketplaces — scrambling to reconfigure their businesses to avoid costly lawsuits.” Full Article
– Insurance Journal
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, HUMAN RESOURCES, & COMPLIANCE
Texas District Court Once Again Vacates Departments’ No Surprises Act Regs “Health providers asserted that the regulations improperly limited arbitrators’ discretion and improperly weighted the QPA (by making it the ‘de facto benchmark’ for OON reimbursement). The district court concluded that the final regulations’ challenged provisions exceeded the Departments’ authority and conflicted with the NSA.” Full Article – Thomson Reuters Practical Law
Healthcare Plans After Dobbs: What Employers Need to Know “In an age of remote work, even employers based in states such as California where the right to – Boutwell Fay LLP
abortion healthcare has been confirmed, may have employees working remotely in other states which have restrictive abortion laws. Set up a system to monitor legal developments in this area, at the
state, local, and federal levels. Review all relevant plan documents. Consider new plans/plan designs. Review applicable leave laws.” Full Article
Agencies Propose Expansion of Contraceptive Care Coverage “The proposal would create a mechanism, independent from the employer, group health plan, plan sponsor, institution of higher education, or issuer, through which individuals could obtain contraceptive services at no cost from a willing provider of contraceptive services when the employer does not elect the optional accommodation.” Full Article – The Wagner Law Group
Public Health Emergency Ends May 11: What Telehealth Companies Need to Know “While some telehealth waivers will survive the end of the public health emergency (PHE), not every pandemic-era policy will continue. Digital health companies relying on the PHE waivers – Foley and Lardner LLP
should take steps now to bring operations into compliance with the post-PHE world before the PHE ends in May.” Full Article
HHS Fact Sheet: COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Transition Road Map “HHS continues to review the flexibilities and policies implemented during the COVID-19 PHE to determine whether others can and should remain in place, even for a temporary duration, to facilitate jurisdictions’ ability to provide care and resources to Americans. Still, others will expire. This Fact Sheet includes a list of some of the changes people will see in the months ahead.” Full Article – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Employers Prepare for Thawing ERISA Deadlines “Although the end of the outbreak period will be the same for each participant and beneficiary, not every deadline will be due to the mass nature of the timeframe beginning dates (the end of the outbreak period), employers, their third-party administrators, COBRA administrators, and other service providers may end up dealing with several ‘batched’ requests from participants, especially for some of the shorter deadlines and more common requests such as HIPAA special enrollment applications and COBRA elections.” Full Article – Ogletree Deakins
STATE & INTERNATIONAL COMPLIANCE
In addition to the RISQ Review, RISQ Consulting also provides a resource that features changes and updates to State and International Compliance measures. We’ve included brief summaries of each item below, and also provided links to the original articles if you’d like to read further.
Gainesville First City in Florida to Pass Fair Chance Hiring Law Restricting Private Employers’ Use of Criminal History “In light of these changes, covered employers with operations in Gainesville that use criminal records to vet candidates should consider a privileged review of their policies, procedures, and other documents related to the screening process.” Full Article – Littler Mendelson P.C.FLORIDA
St. Paul & Bloomington, Minnesota Amend Their Sick and Safe Time Ordinances “On January 19, 2023, St. Paul, Minnesota Mayor Melvin Carter signed into law amendments to the Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) Ordinance, which will take effect 30 days later, on February 18, 2023. Four days later, on January 23, Bloomington enacted amendments to its forthcoming ESST Ordinance that will, like the law itself, first take effect on July 1, 2023.” Full Article – Littler Mendelson P.C.MINNESOTA
2022 Connecticut Employment Law Recap “The past year has been filled with employment law developments in Connecticut. Below are summaries of some of the key laws that were passed or went into effect in 2022, with which Connecticut employers should be sure to comply in 2023.” Full Article – Day Pitney LLPCONNECTICUT
Illinois Legislature Passes Mandatory Paid Leave for Any Purpose, to be Effective in 2024 “The new law would require nearly all Illinois employers to provide employees with up to 40 hours of paid leave per year. Assuming it is signed, this requirement will be effective in January 2024, and the paid leave will be able to be used for any purpose.” Full Article – Levenfeld Pearlstein P.C.ILLINOIS
Not so FAST– AB 257 on Hold Pending Voter Referendum in 2024 “On January 24, 2023, the California Secretary of State completed its verification process and qualified a referendum challenging Assembly Bill (AB) 257, also known as the FAST Recovery Act for the November 2024 ballot. In the meantime, the law will not take effect unless it is approved by voters in the November 2024 election.” Full Article – Jackson Lewis P.C.CALIFORNIA
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