Health Care Archives - Page 10 of 36

What to Consider When Choosing a Mental Health Benefits Strategy

Kathy Bergstrom, CEBS

15 Jun 202115 Jun 2021

From traditional employee assistance programs (EAPs) to bots that use artificial intelligence, the range of options to address worker mental health challenges has grown. What should employers and plan sponsors consider when deciding which mental health benefits tools to use and promote? […]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Health Care U.S.

Changes in Health Care Claims Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Justin Held, CEBS

10 Jun 202109 Jun 2021

Over the past year, the International Foundation has surveyed U.S. organizations on three separate occasions to examine the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the most recent edition, respondents were asked about changes in the number of health care claims over this […]

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Health Care Multiemployer Regulatory U.S.

How Do Multiemployer Plans Claim COBRA Premium Assistance Credit?

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

09 Jun 202108 Jun 2021

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued Notice 2021-31 which provides guidance for multiemployer plans and plan administrators regarding the new credit available to them for providing continuation health coverage to certain individuals under COBRA. We summarized the COBRA changes under American […]

Employee Benefits Employee Benefits Survey Health Care Prescription Drugs U.S.

18 Prescription Drug Cost-Containment Strategies For Your Plan

Justin Held, CEBS

08 Jun 202107 Jun 2021

Benefits practitioners have grown accustomed to headlines addressing the escalating costs of prescription drug spending. Despite concerted efforts, the cost of commonly prescribed brand-name drugs continues to grow at alarming rates. A recent study from the University of Pittsburgh stated that over […]

Canada Employee Benefits Health Care Wellness

Legal and Practical Considerations for Virtual Health Care in Canada

Alyssa Hodder

19 May 202118 May 2021

There’s no question that the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of virtual health care in Canada, but we’re now learning that it’s not just a transitional measure. A panel at our recent virtual conference, Today’s Legal and Legislative Landscape Across Canada, explored […]

Employee Benefits Health Care U.S.

COBRA’s Interaction With HSAs, HRAs and FSAs

Anne Newhouse

17 May 202113 May 2021

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), signed into law on March 11, 2021, contains new COBRA provisions, including a subsidy for the full monthly COBRA premium from April 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021. Our March 25, 2021 blog addressed […]

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Health Care Human Resources (HR) U.S.

DOL Releases Model Notices for COBRA Subsidy Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA)

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

27 Apr 202128 Apr 2021

Thirty-five years ago this month, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) was signed into law. COBRA provides a way for workers and their families to temporarily maintain their employer-provided health insurance during situations such as job loss or a […]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Benefits Health Care U.S.

COVID-19 Vaccines and Your Workforce—An Update

Stacy Van Alstyne, CEBS

26 Apr 202122 Apr 2021

On Thursday, April 15, the International Foundation presented a webcast on legal considerations for employers regarding employee vaccinations. Diana Bardes, partner at Mooney, Green, Saindon, Murphy & Welch, P.C., presented an update from the January 27 webcast, COVID-19 Vaccinations and Your Workforce, […]

Employee Benefits Employee Benefits Survey Health Care U.S. Work Life Balance

Employer Support for Employees Caring for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Julie Stich, CEBS

21 Apr 202119 Apr 2021

April is National Autism Acceptance Month. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autism spectrum disorders affected one in 150 children in 2000; prevalence increased to one in 54 children in 2016. This climb in prevalence means it is […]

Employee Benefits Employee Benefits Survey Health Care U.S.

Fertility and Adoption Benefit Offerings in the Time of COVID

Anne Patterson

14 Apr 202113 Apr 2021

As employers across the United States examine and modify benefit offerings in response to the pandemic, fertility benefits are no exception. The pandemic has impacted families planning for a new addition in different ways, but one thing is constant—the need for employees […]