Health Care Law Blog

Recap of 2012 Healthcare Forum

On October 11, 2012, the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Healthcare Forum.  A half-day event, the Healthcare Forum brings together mid-Michigan leaders in the health care industry to provide updates on the latest issues.  This year’s forum, titled “Countdown to 2014 – The Tools to Conform to Healthcare Reform,” drew nearly 100 attendees and featured topics including:

• An “Overview of the 2014 Healthcare Reform – What to Do Today” (focused on small businesses, how employers should prepare, and key dates to watch for);
• “The Supply Chain of Delivering Healthcare”; and
• “The Business of Being Healthy.”

Foster Swift was the title sponsor of the event and the firm’s health care attorneys were well represented.  Johanna Novak sat on the panel for the supply chain of delivering healthcare discussion and Gary McRay served as the moderator.  Johanna addressed employer compliance obligations under the health care reform law, and particularly under the reform law's employer mandate.  The employer mandate requires that employers with 50 or more full time equivalents provide affordable health insurance coverage of a minimum value to their full time employees and dependents or pay a penalty.

Other speakers included:

• Rick Wright, President & CEO of McLaren Greater Lansing
• Alisa Bennett, Manager of Health Care Reform Team, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
• Susan Chan, Director of Human Resources, Auto-Owners Insurance
• Timothy Durso, Executive VP, The Centennial Group
• Janet Olszewzki, Principal, Health Management Associates
• Matt Johnson, Director of Business Development and Certified Personal Trainer, On Target Living

FOSTER SWIFT HANDOUTS FROM THE EVENT

• Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Timeline
• Employer and Individual Mandate Flow Charts

If you have questions regarding the subjects mentioned above or other issues regarding health care reform, please contact one of the Health Care Law Group members at Foster Swift.

Categories: Compliance, Employee Benefits, Employment, Health Care Reform, Labor Relations, Regulatory