Health Care Law Blog

Showing 27 posts in Employee Benefits.

October 18, 2012

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: Read More ›

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

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October 3, 2012

Michigan will Pursue Federal Partnership for its Health Insurance Exchange

At the end of August, Governor Rick Snyder announced that Michigan will be pursuing a federal-state partnership for its health insurance exchange.  Health insurance exchanges are a requirement of the federal Health Care Reform law.  Health insurance exchanges are designed to  facilitate the purchase of health insurance by consumers through an online, cost-competitive forum.  Each state has the option to: (1) operate its own health insurance exchange; (2) partner with the federal government; or (3) allow the federal government to manage its health insurance exchange. Read More ›

Categories: Employee Benefits, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance Exchange, Insurance, Regulatory

Posted by: Mindi M. Johnson

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September 19, 2012

Employers Must Provide Notice of Health Insurance Exchanges

With the United States Supreme Court having ruled that nearly all of the provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”) are constitutional, employers are legally obligated to comply with PPACA's requirements. One such requirement of particular interest to employers is the employee health insurance exchange notice requirement. Read More ›

Categories: Employee Benefits, Employment, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance Exchange, Insurance

Posted by: John W. Mashni

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September 5, 2012

ERISA Challenge to Michigan’s Health Insurance Claims Tax is Rejected

On August 31, 2012, a federal district court ruled that the Michigan Health Insurance Claims Assessment Act is not preempted by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act.  The act imposes a 1% tax on paid health insurance claims for services rendered in Michigan to residents of Michigan.  The tax is assessed against commercial insurers, HMOs, nonprofit health and dental corporations, Medicaid managed care organizations, specialty prepaid health plans, third-party administrators, and group health plan sponsors.  The act, which took effect on January 1, 2012 and expires on December 31, 2013, authorizes the state to collect up to $400 million in revenues each year, which are used to fund the Michigan state share of the Medicaid program.  When combined with the federal multiplier, the tax will generate $2.4 billion in funding for Michigan’s Medicaid program. Read More ›

Categories: Employee Benefits, Insurance, Tax

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August 20, 2012

Supplemental Retirement Plan Considerations for Health Care Managers

For health care managers, there are a number of available options and strategies to consider when planning for retirement.  In addition to traditional employer plans, an exempt health care provider may also offer supplemental plan options to its managers and highly compensated employees.  Taking advantage of such benefits may prove to be a wise investment decision for health care managers. Read More ›

Categories: Employee Benefits, Employment, Hospitals, Physicians, Retirement

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April 3, 2012

Agencies Issue Regulations on Summary of Benefits and Coverage Requirements

The Departments of the Treasury, Labor and Health and Human Services (collectively, the "Departments") recently published the final regulation (the "Regulation") with regard to the Summary of Benefits and Coverage ("SBC") requirements under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("PPACA").  The Regulation implements certain disclosure requirements in order to help individuals and health plans better understand their medical coverage as well as other coverage options.  Many liken the SBC to the summary plan description for retirement plans. Read More ›

Categories: Employee Benefits, Employment, Insurance, Regulatory, Retirement

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December 14, 2011

Employers Beware: If you extend COBRA benefits, you may be denied stop-loss coverage

A recent case highlights why a plan sponsor must use caution when agreeing to provide COBRA coverage that extends beyond the maximum COBRA coverage period.  The court in Bekaert Corporation v. Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, 2011 WL 3568028 (N.D. Ohio) recently held that an employer who offered extended COBRA coverage pursuant to a separation agreement with a particular employee was not entitled to stop-loss coverage.  In Bekaert,a retiree received extended COBRA continuation health coverage pursuant to a separation agreement with the employer.  The retiree's medical claims were paid under the employer's self-funded health plan and then were submitted for reimbursement under the employer's stop-loss policy as excess loss claims.  The stop-loss carrier denied the claims, stating the retiree was not a covered person under the stop-loss policy. Read More ›

Categories: Employee Benefits, Employment, Hospitals, Insurance, Physicians

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