As a result of the Biden administration, at-home COVID-19 tests are now available to most Americans for no upfront cost or for reimbursement. These tests can be purchased online or in-store, without talking to your doctor, and with all or some of the cost covered by private insurance. Limitations and …
Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted in 2010, many changes have been made. In 2022, there are changes for employers sponsoring group health plans. Plan Design Changes Grandfathered plan status A grandfathered plan is one that existed before the ACA was enacted on March 23, 2010. The Departments …
Annually, Medicare Part D requires group health plan sponsors to disclose to those eligible for Medicare Part D and to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) whether the health plan’s prescription drug coverage is creditable. The start date of the annual enrollment period for Medicare Part D is …
The COVID-19 pandemic has and continues to force many organizations to adapt and reimagine their service offerings to prioritize the health and safety of their employees. Since in-person visits to the doctor were put on hold in 2020, telehealth saw an increase in popularity. This allowed employees and their families …
Retirement planning is one evolving area where employees are seeking out solutions that assist them and their family members in building strong financial futures. According to the Employee Benefits Research Institute, over four out of five workers say their employer converting retirement savings into regular income would be helpful. Additionally, …
Throughout the pandemic, the opportunity to engage in traditional healthcare dwindled due to the risk of infection and reallocation of resources. Now, with a large percentage of Americans fully vaccinated and demand for care increasing, the popularity of telemedicine continues to boom. New research shows that virtual care will outlast …
On April 28, 2021, President Biden announced the American Families Plan, a $1.8 trillion package that plans to invest in the lives of American children, families and the future of the nation’s economy. The proposed plan would: Provide direct support to children and families — to ensure that low- and …
On April 27, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released updated guidelines detailing certain activities that fully vaccinated individuals can safely resume without the need to wear a mask. Individuals are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or …
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, CVS Health has been increasing testing options and has conducted more than 15 million COVID-19 tests across more than 4,800 CVS Pharmacy testing locations. As access to testing continues to be an essential, proactive factor in improving the lives and health of individuals …
Throughout the pandemic we have seen a rise in those struggling with acute symptoms of mental health disorders. A recent 2020 report from Mental Health America estimated that 47 million Americans now struggle with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, psychosis, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) — an increase of 4 million …
According to a survey by virtual mental health platform, Ginger, 70% of workers say this period, that is the COVID-19 pandemic, is “the most stressful time in their entire professional career.” On top of that, approximately 88% reported experiencing moderate to extreme stress in 2020. Remote work has accelerated the …
According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines provide highly effective protection against the COVID-19 virus. Specifically, the study found both vaccines to be 90% effective at preventing infections two weeks after an individual’s second vaccine dose; and 80% …
Amazon launched its healthcare service, Amazon Care, to tens of thousands of the company’s Washington state employees and their families, who have been using the platform since September 2019. Due to its success and the tremendous growth in telehealth services over the past year, Amazon announced Amazon Care will soon be …
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued long-awaited guidance for Americans fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This is the first set of public health recommendations for fully vaccinated individuals since the beginning of the declared public health emergency. The guidance is designed to address growing demand, as more …
Soon after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, Merck — one of the largest American based pharmaceutical companies in the world — has committed to assisting in the manufacturing process to speed up production and supply …
