President Joe Biden recently outlined his American Rescue Plan for economic relief from the coronavirus — citing the need for a more robust vaccination plan, as well as additional direct payments to American families to aid in the recovery effort of the U.S. economy. “The very health of our nation …
On December 18th 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the second vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19. FDA scientists found the Moderna vaccine to be “safe and efficacious,” prompting the FDA’s determination that the Moderna vaccine has met the statutory criteria …
On December 12, 2020, an independent panel of scientific advisors — the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — approved recommended use of Pfizer Inc.’s COVID-19 vaccine for individuals 16 years of age and older. A day later, Pfizer began shipping …
Included in the Stimulus Package passed by Congress on December 21, 2020 are changes pertaining to Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Dependent Care Accounts (DCA). The package is expected to be signed into law by President Trump. We have outlined notable changes below for your review, which include but are …
On December 21, 2020, Congress passed an emergency stimulus package designed to deliver approximately $900 billion in COVID-19-related aid. The bill has been sent to President Trump, and he is expected to sign it into law. Notably, the bill provides funding for unemployment benefits, small businesses, direct economic payments to …
Between the COVID-19 pandemic, debates over the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and various approaches on future public health strategies, healthcare was a core element of Joe Biden’s campaign for the U.S. presidency. With that being said, employers can begin to plan and strategize about how President-elect Joe Biden and Vice …
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced that the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) — which is composed of independent doctors, scientists, and experts — endorsed an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for widespread use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. This development comes as the U.S. faces …
After months of diligent work to develop a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has approved a COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan. The news succeeds recent data which indicated the COVID-19 vaccine candidate’s early results of 90% effective in the 43,000 participants involved. …
In response to today’s circumstances, we have seen increased demand for telemedicine from healthcare consumers. For many, the opportunity to engage in traditional healthcare (i.e. visiting a doctor’s office or emergency room) has dwindled due to risk of infection and reallocation of resources. Consequently, individuals across the nation have had …
According to a recent press release, Pfizer, Inc., in partnership with BioNtech, have announced that early data from their COVID-19 vaccine trial has demonstrated high effectiveness. The Phase 3 vaccine candidate’s early results found the immunization to be 90% effective in preventing COVID-19 in participants without prior evidence of the …
From payments to policies, to prescriptions and rising healthcare costs, the outcome of the 2020 presidential election will influence the future of the U.S. healthcare system. As we approach the 2020 presidential election, healthcare is definitely top of mind for Americans. According to a recent poll by the Kaiser Family …
For the third time this year, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has renewed its determination that a public health emergency exists due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. On January 30, 2020, the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a “public …
CVS Health recently announced that it will invest nearly $600 million over five years to advance employee, community and public policy initiatives that address inequality faced by Black people and further decapacitated communities. The investment follows a commitment from President and CEO Larry Merlo to evaluate how the company operates …
To increase member engagement and combat rising healthcare costs experienced in today’s market, healthcare company Aetna has designed a new innovative insurance plan. The Aetna Connected plan, which will be available in January 2021, will permit members to access appointments at CVS Health’s MinuteClinic and newer HealthHUBs for no copay; …
On August 17, 2020, a federal district court blocked a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regulation which was intended to allow healthcare and insurance discrimination based on sex stereotyping, gender identity and pregnancy-related conditions. The U.S. District Court Judge found that the planned regulation, which was announced in …
