During the most recent Tax in the City event in Dallas, Partners Erin Turley and Judith Wethall, presented on the rise of consumer driven health care. Some popular programs they discussed include wellness, smoking cessation, high deductible health plans and HSAs, telemedicine, direct contracting and affordable care organizations. They also discussed the compliance complexities associated with these programs, including ERISA, FLSA and HIPAA privacy concerns.
Health and Welfare Plans
What’s Next After the Affordable Care Act?
By Gary Scott Davis on
Posted in Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
When passed in 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), often called “Obamacare,” had three basic goals: increase access to health insurance, reduce costs and spending, and offer patients stability with respect to their insurance coverage. By offering a subsidy for low- and middle-income Americans to purchase private insurance plans, the ACA was successful in expanding coverage for about 14 million previously uninsured individuals, including those with pre-existing medical conditions.
Gary Scott Davis authored this bylined article about the future of the ACA. “We need to learn from both the strengths and weaknesses of the ACA to build a long-term sustainable approach that promotes access to care, brings insurance coverage within the reach of the many, contains costs, and aligns economic incentives among payors, providers and patients, while improving the nation’s overall level of health,” he wrote.
Universal Health Bill Faces Steep Obstacles in New York
By Andrew Liazos on
Posted in Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
While momentum may be building for a single-payer health care system in New York, such a dramatic shift in the way health care is financed will have to overcome a number of significant obstacles. With ERISA preemption being one of those hurdles, Andrew Liazos comments, “There will be a challenge from somewhere. I don’t know who will lead the challenge, but I don’t think employer groups will just sit by idly.”
Originally published in Bloomberg Law, August 2018.
ERISA Preempts State Regulation of PBM–Pharmacy Pricing Agreements
By M. Miller Baker & Sarah P. Hogarth on
ERISA broadly preempts state laws that “relate to” ERISA-governed employee benefit plans to ensure a uniform federal regulatory scheme and to relieve ERISA plans from the burdens of satisfying a patchwork of state laws. Recently, however, several states have enacted legislation designed to regulate the prices that pharmacy benefit managers, as third-party administrators for ERISA-governed plans, agree to reimburse pharmacies for dispensing prescription drugs to ERISA plan members. These regulations run afoul of ERISA, as the US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has twice held.
Podcast | Telemedicine – The New Standard of Care
In the newest episode of the Of Digital Interest podcast, McDermott Digital Health partners, Lisa Schmitz Mazur and Dale Van Demark, share their perspectives on these questions and the various barriers, risks and opportunities associated with the rise of telemedicine and other technological advancements in health care delivery.
Access this episode at www.mwe.com/mcdermottdigitalhealth or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Pocket Casts or SoundCloud.
All Together Now: DOL Finalizes Rule for Association Health Plans
Posted in Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
The US Department of Labor published a final rule that makes it easier for a group or association of employers to act as a single “employer” sponsor of an Association Health Plan under ERISA. By creating an opportunity for small employers and self-employed individuals to take advantage of the economies of scale that are usually enjoyed by large employers, the final rule is intended to expand access to affordable health care.
IRS Releases FAQs on Paid Family and Medical Leave Credit
By Samantha Souza, David Fuller & Judith Wethall on
The IRS released guidance in April on the new credit for paid family and medical leave. In FAQ form, this guidance helps employers gauge whether their current policies are sufficient, or whether implementation of conforming paid leave policies may be necessary.
Fridays with Benefits Webinar | Mental Health Parity and Compliance Complexities
By Jacob Mattinson & Judith Wethall on
Posted in Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
New proposed guidance on mental health parity issued last month spotlights the complexities of these rules. Join us for out next Fridays with Benefits webinar on June 1 as Jacob M. Mattinson and Judith Wethall discuss the impact these rules will have on group health plans and how to determine if your plan complies. Find out about recent litigation and agency enforcement actions.
Friday, June 1st, 2018
10:00 – 10:45 am PDT
11:00 – 11:45 am MDT
12:00 – 12:45 pm CDT
1:00 – 1:45 pm EDT
IRS Announces Limits for Health Savings Accounts and High-Deductible Health Plans for 2019
On May 10, 2018, the IRS announced cost-of-living adjustments to the applicable dollar limits for health savings accounts and high-deductible health plans for 2019. Many of the limits will change for 2019.
Navigating the Challenges of Cross-Border M&A Transactions
Last month, Alexander Lee and Maureen O’Brien joined with Rob Wellner from Velocity Global to discuss the tax and employee benefits complications that arise in cross-border transactions. Key points discussed:
- Complex tax structures must be considered and understood
- Transfers of employment may be governed by different statutes in each affected jurisdiction
- Purchasers may not be ready to provide employment, payroll and benefits on the closing date without significant pre-closing work