Benefits Newsletter: 1/19/22
With Employee Benefits & HR topics regularly in the news, it’s difficult to stay up to date. Our weekly newsletter will help you stay current. Check out this week’s edition.
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Special Webinar – Benefits Compliance in 2022: Preparing for a New Year
Join us on January 20th at 2:00PM EST to learn about the most recent developments affecting group health plans and to gain practical insights into the year ahead. During this webinar, we’ll analyze the myriad of new transparency-related rules, examine the continued impact of COVID-19 on group health plan compliance, make informed predictions about action on the federal level and review recurring compliance obligations.
Mental Health Parity: NQTL Comparative Analysis Requirements
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA), enacted in December 2020, amended the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MPHAEA) to require employers that sponsor self-funded group health plans that cover mental health or substance use disorder benefits to perform a “comparative analysis” of any non-quantitative treatment limitations (NQTLs) effective February 10, 2021. All group health plans are subject to the CAA. Fully insured plans, however, have relief from this requirement as the insurance carrier has the obligation to perform the comparative analysis, not the employer. Though the MPHAEA already required group health plans and insurers to perform an analysis of NQTLs, the CAA’s requirement to produce written documentation of the comparative analysis is new and bolsters the DOL’s, IRS’s and HHS’s (collectively, the Agencies’) increasing focus and ongoing commitment to MPHAEA enforcement. Due to the time constraints and potential penalties, employer-sponsors of self-insured health plans should focus on understanding this complex new requirement and prioritize their next steps to ensure compliance.
Temporary Enforcement Policy on CAA Compensation Disclosures
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (CAA) created new requirements for brokers and consultants to disclose any direct or indirect compensation they may receive for referral of services to ERISA-covered group health plan sponsors. The requirements began on Dec. 27, 2021. On Dec. 30, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a temporary enforcement policy for these new requirements in Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2021-03. This Legal Update explains further.
Benefits Newsletter: 1/5/22
With Employee Benefits & HR topics regularly in the news, it’s difficult to stay up to date. Our weekly newsletter will help you stay current. Check out this week’s edition.
Benefits Buzz: January 2022
This month's Benefits Buzz discusses the Supreme Court's decision to review the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates as well as updated civil penalty amounts for certain violations.
Creating a Psychologically Safe Work Environment
Several work dynamics can make the team successful. One of the most crucial ones is psychological safety. This article explores the concept and benefits of psychological safety and how you can contribute to and be part of a positive and psychologically safe work environment.
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Atlanta, GA 30339
Phone: 770.863.3600
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