Trusted Since 1995 | Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter March 19, 2025 |
š¼2 New Job Opportunities
[Guidance Overview]
Executive Order Outlines Next Steps for Health Care Price Transparency
"Although hospitals and health plans have posted a massive amount of health care price data, actionable information on prices is still not readily and widely available, partly due to ongoing issues with the usability and quality of the data. The executive order sets up the next steps in an iterative process to improve the usability of health care price data and compliance among hospitals and health plans."MORE>>
Health Affairs Forefront
[Guidance Overview]
DOL Increases Civil Penalties for Noncompliance
"Effective January15, 2025, the [DOL] increased its ERISA health and welfare civil penalties for noncompliance.... [A chart outlines] the former maximum and minimum penalties, the new maximum and minimum penalties, and the increase."MORE>>
Winston & Strawn LLP
[Guidance Overview]
Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry Proposes Rules on Statewide Earned Sick and Safe Time Law
"The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry issued proposed rules stating that employees anticipated to work over50percent in Minnesota in an accrual year would accrue earned sick and safe time leave (ESST) for all hours worked despite location. The proposed rules would allow employers to 'advance' ESST hours. The proposed rules also clarify that employees have a choice to use paid ESST or take unpaid and 'unprotected' leave, and that employers may not require employees to use ESST."MORE>>
Ogletree Deakins
[Guidance Overview]
Proposed Rules for Minnesota's Earned Sick and Safe Time Law: Key Insights for Employers
"The Proposed Rules [1]explain that an employee's hours worked outside of Minnesota count towards accrual as long asthe employer anticipates the employee will work more than 50% of their hours for the employer inside of Minnesota per accrual year.... [2]clarify that an employer can only deduct from an employee's 'accrued' ESST the hours worked by the employee who picked up the ESST-taking employee's shift.... [3]provide guidance on an employer's ability to address a suspected 'pattern of misuse' ofESST."MORE>>
Jackson Lewis P.C.
Health Privacy in 2025 and Beyond
"Changes in leadership at the FTC and HHS made by the new administration likely mean that the enforcement priorities will shift at these agencies. At the same time, state legislatures are likely to continue to be active on health privacy issues, and state attorneys general arelikely to continue to focus on this area as an enforcement priority (especially as new laws pass and others go into effect). This article analyzes how these issues are likely to play out in the next year and beyond[.]"MORE>>
Antitrust Law Section, American Bar Association
[Sponsor]
Earn up to 12 CE hours at this 2-day, virtual meeting! Presenters will address issues facing employers & consultants, outline opportunities for savings & improvements, and offer solutions. Professionalism webinar included. Learn more.
LIMRA Launches New Tools to Help Life Insurers Adopt AI
"Whether developing AI in-house or with a vendor, these resources are designed to help companies make informed decisionsregarding AI adoption, LIMRA said. These turnkey frameworks include comprehensive cost benefit analysis templates that can help leaders identify the potential benefits and risks of the various strategic paths when considering AI. [LIMRA's AI Governance Group (AIGG)] plans to release several more industry frameworks this year."MORE>>
InsuranceNewsNet.com
New Legislation Seeks to Reinstate Telehealth Exception for HDHP Participants
"On February 27, 2025, a group of more than 300 employers, insurance industry professionals, and others sent a letter to the majority and minority leaders in Congress, asking them to restore and make permanent the safe harbor. On the same day, a bipartisan bill was introduced inthe House and the Senate (HR 1650 and S 763). The bill would make the telehealth exception permanent and would be effective for plans beginning on or after January 1, 2025."MORE>>
Keenan & Associates
Employer Healthcare Tax Benefits: an Economic Impact Study (PDF)
20 pages. "This report estimates the macroeconomic impacts of limiting the tax exclusion for employment-based health coverage to the 75th percentile of premiums.... The policy is estimated to result in: [1]75,000 fewer US jobs, on average, in each of the first ten years,growing over time to 240,000 fewer jobs each year in the long run. [2]$75billion less after-tax employee compensation annually, on average, over the first 10 years, growing to $280billion less after-tax employee compensation annually in the long run."MORE>>
American Benefits Council
Top Healthcare Problems Employers Face and How to Adapt
"[1]Soaring healthcare costs... [2]Overcomplicated benefits ecosystems... [3]Gaps in care quality... [4]The mental health crisis."MORE>>
Summus
Optum to Drop Prior Authorization Requirement for Dozens of Prescription Drugs
"Optum Rx-- which includes the pharmacy benefit manager of health care conglomerate UnitedHealth Group-- is dropping annual reauthorization requirements for 80 drugs... The change will eliminate up to one-quarter of total drug reauthorizations, the company said.The program begins on May1, and the list of included drugs will expand over time."MORE>>
AXIOS
Mississippi Lawmakers Keep PBM Reforms Alive
"The Mississippi Senate revived their version of a bill to regulate pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)... [The Senate version] changed reimbursement times from 7 days to the previous provision of 60-90 days and included pricing language that went back to the 'goldstandard.'... [S]elf-insurers, including [ERISA] plans, will not be excluded from the spread pricing section of the bill."MORE>>
The Greenwood Commonwealth
Benefits in General
[Official Guidance]
Text of IRS Publication 505: Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax, for Use in 2025 (PDF)
45 pages. "What's new for 2025: [1]Retirement savings contribution credit in- come limits increased. In order to claim this credit for 2025, your MAGI must not be more than $39,500 ($79,000 if married filing jointly; $59,250 if head of household).... [2]Themaximum adoption credit or exclusion for employer-provided adoption benefits has increased to $17,280. In order to claim either the credit or exclusion, your MAGI must be less than $299,190."MORE>>
Internal Revenue Service [IRS]
š¼ | Relationship Manager ERISA Services Inc. Remote / Knoxville TN |
š¼ | Human Resources Analyst II Sacramento Regional Transit District CA |
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Press Releases
Schechter Benefits Law Group LLP (formerly Butterfield Schechter LLP) Announces Partners' Recognition in 2025 Super Lawyers List
Schechter Benefits Law Group LLP
PCS Selects iJoin to Expand Advisor Access to AMA and Income Solutions
PCS Retirement
John Hancock Retirement Introduces FutureChoiceā¢ to Offer a New Suite of Advisor-Centric Solutions
John Hancock Retirement
October Three Expands O3 PRIME to Address Shortcomings of Corporate Retirement Plans
October Three, LLC
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Webcasts and Conferences
(Health & Welfare Plans)
Back to Basics with Compliance: FSAs, HRAs and HSAs
RECORDED
Gallagher
Back to Basics with Compliance: HIPAA Privacy and Security
RECORDED
Gallagher
2025 Employee Benefits Market Trends, Part 2 of 3: Transformative Therapies and PBM Trends
March 19, 2025 PODCAST
Brown & Brown
New Administration, New Landscape: Whatās Ahead for Employers
April 9, 2025 in NY
Davis+Gilbert LLP
F as in Fiduciary: Mastering the Responsibilities of a Healthcare Plan Benefit Administrator
May 1, 2025 in NY
Worldwide Employee Benefits Network [WEB] - New York Chapter
āŗ View All Upcoming āŗ View Webcast Recordings
Last Issue's Most Popular Items
American Retirement Association [ARA]
Monitoring the Activities of a Plan Fiduciary Committee: Recommendations to a Board of Directors
Verrill Dana LLP
Copay Accumulator and Maximizer Programs: Stakes Rise for Patients as Federal Rulemaking Lags
Health Affairs Forefront
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BenefitsLinkĀ® Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter, ISSN no. 1536-9595.
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