Claim filing deadline extended to July 30: $10B earmarked for opioid claims for employers and other parties
A federal court in New York is overseeing bankruptcy claims related to the prescription opioid crisis. With $10 billion at stake, should an employer file a claim to try and recoup its health and disability costs related to its employees and family members who were victims of the opioid crisis?
Premium credits and the coronavirus: Handling the ERISA issues safely
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, some carriers are declaring a credit against future premiums owed under group benefits contracts. While this is a win for employers and/or their covered employees, some employers have asked about the ERISA implications of the credit, specifically, how they may apply the credit.
Are Private Exchanges Making the Grade?
It’s been a busy year for private exchanges with more to come in 2016. Despite many successes, employers and investors are beginning to wonder: Are private exchanges delivering on the promises they’ve made? Are they making the grade? Lockton Benefit Group’s Director...
Labor Day Executive Order: Contractors Must Provide Paid Leave
On Labor Day, the President signed an executive order that will, in effect, require federal contractors and their subcontractors to provide employees up to seven paid sick days each year starting in 2017. This paid leave requirement joins an assortment of similar...
ACA Reporting Extensions and Waivers
Lockton Compliance Shares New ACA Reporting Resource Some of our friends in Lockton Compliance Services created this little grid that gives a quick look at due dates and potential extensions related to ACA reporting, and we thought it was so helpful it needed to be...
The ACA Clock is Ticking
What should an employer do if an Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting vendor promises compliance with ACA reporting because of the employer’s “good faith” effort? Calling the recent tumultuous landscape the ‘ACA land of the unknown,’ Brad Mandacina who runs Lockton...
IRS Revisits Minimum Value Lite Plans: Transition Relief Expires on Dec. 31, 2015, for Calendar Year Plans
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has revisited its fascination with so-called Minimum Value (MV) Lite plans that, as originally designed, claimed to satisfy the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) minimum value health plan standard without covering inpatient...
Will Health Plans Cover Addyi for Women with Sexual Dysfunction?
Last week, a new drug called Addyi, manufactured by Sprout Pharmaceuticals, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The drug is intended for use by pre-menopausal women diagnosed with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). It works by boosting...
Private Exchanges Driving Consumer Engagement
Check out Lockton Benefit Group's Director of Exchange Solutions here at Lockton, Mike Smith, as he shares his thoughts on achieving better consumer engagement in an article published by the Institute for Healthcare Consumerism. Private Exchanges Driving Consumer...
Catbert Gets ACA
My team and I have been up to our elbows with everything ACA and when someone shared these Catberts comic strips with me, I had to share them with you. Catbert understands ACA all too well. Thank you Catbert for perfectly expressing what we've all been thinking! In...
Private HIX Conference Recap
Today's post comes from my colleague, Steve Tomac. Steve is part of Lockton's Exchange Solutions Practice, and he recently attended the Private Healthcare Exchanges Conference. Here is his recap: Last month, I attended Employee Benefit News’ annual Private Healthcare...
Agencies Define the Closely Held, For-Profit Employers That May Invoke Accommodations for Religious Objections to Contraception
In regulations dated July 14, 2015, federal agencies took the next step in addressing religious objections to coverage of contraceptives by issuing final regulations under which certain closely held, for-profit businesses may avoid a requirement that their health...
IRS Issues Interim Guidance on New Expat Law and Invites Comments
Buried in the budget law signed by the President last December is the Expatriate Health Coverage Clarification Act of 2014. Known as EHCCA, this act exempts some expat coverage from several thorny Affordable Care Act-related requirements, and treats the coverage as...
New Trade Bill Escalates ACA Reporting Penalties, Resuscitates Health Coverage Tax Credit
The trade bill signed into law this week included provisions steeply increasing the penalties related to employers’ Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting (e.g., reporting required to be done on Forms 1094-C and 1095-C). The bill also reinstated the trade-related Health...