On Jan. 24, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published its proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2020. This proposed rule describes benefit and payment parameters under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that would be applicable for the 2020 benefit year. Proposed standards included in …
If healthy food can be used as medicine, it stands to reason that unhealthy food could have a negative impact on your well-being. Case in point: A recent study revealed that we face a 14% higher risk of early death for every 10% increase in the amount of ultraprocessed foods …
On Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General released a proposed rule that effectively eliminates certain drug rebates. This move is the latest of the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce prescription drug costs and increase transparency. What is included in the rule? …
On Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019, President Donald Trump delivered the 2019 State of the Union Address (SOTU). The SOTU is an annual message delivered by the president to a joint session of Congress at the beginning of each year. At this year’s SOTU, President Trump discussed issues that have the …
On Jan. 24, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published its proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2020. This proposed rule describes benefit and payment parameters under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that would be applicable for the 2020 benefit year. Proposed standards included in …
On Dec. 22, 2017, President Donald Trump signed into law the tax reform bill, called the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, after it passed both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. This tax reform bill makes significant changes to the federal tax code. The bill does not …
On Dec. 14, 2018, a federal judge ruled in Texas v. United States that the entire ACA is invalid due to the elimination of the individual mandate penalty in 2019. Following this decision, the White House announced that the ACA will remain in place pending appeal. This lawsuit was filed …
A proposed rule to expand the use of health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) and other account-based group health plans was recently released by the Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services. If finalized, the rule may allow employers to terminate their existing medical plans and shift their employees …
The IRS Notice extends the due dates for the 2018 information reporting requirements for employers to furnish information on returns and statements regarding minimum essential coverage provided to individuals. Specifically, the notice extends the due date for furnishing the following to individuals from January 31, 2019 to March 4, 2019: …
Announced November 28, 2018, CVS Health, the nation’s premier health innovation company, has completed its acquisition of Aetna. This venture is speculated to have transformative impacts on the industry and the way consumers access health care. In an announcement released yesterday, Aetna revealed that the goal of the acquisition is …
Under the Affordable Care Act, certain health insurance carriers and health plan sponsors are required to pay fees based on the average number of lives covered by welfare benefits plans. These fees are commonly referred to as Patient-Centered Outcome Research Institute (PCORI) fees. The applicable fee was $2.39 for plan …
The IRS has announced the 2019 maximum contribution limits for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Commuter Reimbursement Accounts (CRA), and Qualified Small Health Reimbursement Arrangements (QSEHRA). Please see the chart below which compares 2018 contribution limits to the adjusted contribution limits for 2019. For additional information regarding plan limit changes for …
On Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, President Donald Trump signed two bills into law that ban the “gag clauses” that can result in consumers overpaying for their prescriptions. Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar, said this action is the first of a series that will be …
Over 700,000 people were estimated to have been admitted to the hospital during the 2017-18 flu season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Influenza Hospitalization Surveillance Network. What’s even more alarming is the fact that epidemic levels of influenza or pneumonia persisted for 16 consecutive weeks. …
The UPMC Health Plan and network, primarily utilized throughout Western and Central Pennsylvania, is continuing its rapid expansion into the Eastern region of the state. Effective January 1st, 2019, UPMC’s insurance product lines will now be available throughout the majority of Pennsylvania, with the exception of the 5 counties of …
