Health Care Archives - Word on Benefits

Cross-Country Benefits Update

Eli Argueta

24 Jul 202424 Jul 2024

The 2024 Canadian Legal and Legislative Update kicked off with a comprehensive cross-country benefits update delivered by Kiersten Amos, counsel at McInnes Cooper, and Michael Wolpert, partner at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin. These updates covered a range of legislation affecting benefit plans across […]

401(k) Plans DOL Employee Benefits ERISA ERISA50 Health Care Legislative Regulatory U.S.

Understanding ERISA Liability in the Context of Pharmacy Benefits

Anne Newhouse

17 Jul 202417 Jul 2024

Fiduciary responsibility has always been a concern for retirement plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). The language on the Department of Labor (DOL) Fiduciary Responsibilities webpage explains, “The primary responsibility of fiduciaries is to run the […]

Affordable Care Act (ACA) DOL Health Care Legislative U.S.

ACA Litigation Update: Preventive Services Requirements Upheld

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

12 Jul 202412 Jul 2024

What’s new? On June 21, 2024, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Braidwood v. Becerra that the lower court had overreached when it struck down the Affordable Care Act (ACA) preventive services mandate nationwide. The Fifth Circuit held that federal […]

Disease Management Employee Benefits Health Care Insurance Multiemployer Prescription Drugs Public Plans U.S.

Multiemployer Plan and Public Employer Coverage of GLP-1 Drugs

Cara McMullin

26 Jun 202426 Jun 2024

New Survey Data Reveals Total Reported Annual Claim Representation for GLP-1 Drugs for Weight Loss Is Almost Ten Percent A new survey report from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans reveals updated U.S. employer and plan sponsor coverage surrounding glucagon-like peptide-1 […]

Disease Management Employee Benefits Health Care Mental Health U.S.

Health Plan Oncology Offerings—Designing the Best Possible Benefit

Anne Newhouse

18 Jun 202418 Jun 2024

In recent years, various sources including SunLife and the Business Group on Health have reported that cancer leads high-cost health claims for self-funded plans. Claims data shows the top three diagnoses currently driving claims are cancer, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal diseases. It’s no […]

Disease Management Employee Benefits Health Care Insurance Prescription Drugs U.S.

Employer Coverage of GLP-1 Drugs on the Rise

Cara McMullin

13 Jun 202413 Jun 2024

New Survey Data Reveals Total Reported Annual Claim Representation for GLP-1 Drugs for Weight Loss Has Increased to Almost Nine Percent A new survey report from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans reveals updated U.S. employer coverage surrounding glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) […]

Canada Communication Employee Benefits Health Care U.S.

Seeing the Value of Vision Benefits

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

21 May 202421 May 2024

May is Healthy Vision Month, which makes it a spectacular time to review vision benefit offerings and communicate to employees and plan participants the importance of eye care. According to the 2022 Employee Benefits Survey, more than half (62%) of U.S. employers […]

Employee Benefits Health Care Prescription Drugs Wellness

Employer’s Role in the Obesity Epidemic

Amanda Wilke

14 May 202421 May 2024

The latest theme to hit employer-provided benefits is GLP-1 drug coverage and the costs to treat obesity while reducing other health risks. To properly respond to the obesity epidemic, employers must understand obesity, weight bias and stigma, and the effect obesity has […]

Compliance DOL Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Employee Benefits Health Care Mental Health Opioid Abuse U.S.

Mental Health Parity—Pitfalls to Avoid

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

04 Apr 202408 May 2024

Recent DOL reports on Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act enforcement indicate pitfalls that plan sponsors should avoid in order to be compliant with parity rules. Learn more about impermissible exclusions of key treatments for MH/SUD and parity enforcement.

Employee Benefits Health Care Prescription Drugs

Prescription Drug Plans: Spread Pricing Explainer

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

07 Mar 202407 Mar 2024

Lawmakers, employers, consumer groups and other stakeholders have called for more transparency from pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Lack of transparency enables PBMs to engage in the practice of spread pricing where PBMs charge health plans more than they pay pharmacies for the […]