Insights

Many changes in today's economy are demanding creative solutions for lenders. While some of these economic shifts have been positive, others have been negative, making for an uncertain state, both currently and looking ahead to the future. The unemployment rate remains relatively low, similar to pre-pandemic numbers, and the job market remains positive for jobseekers. Overall, loan performance is good, an excess in home equity remains, and the housing supply is still low. Although positive shif

During this Breaking Benefits session, we discuss employee's needs for long term care, why employers should be thinking about it and how potential legal changes can impact highly compensated employees. Did you know approximately 1 in 2 people turning age 65 will need some type of paid Long-Term Care services in their lifetimes? The cost of care could vary widely. For example: The median annual cost for a home health aide is currently $54,912. A year in a nursing-home private room is $155,1

Employers have increasing opportunities to engage with vendors who provide specific solutions to improve health conditions. However, these solutions can impose various health and welfare compliance obligations. Join us for a discussion of the compliance implications inherent in offering certain programs. Agenda Overview of Vendor 'Point' Solutions ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, and the ACA Practical Solutions for Federal Law Application Impact on HSA Eligibility Taxation Reporting Requirements O

On August 3, 2022, President Biden issued an executive order that provides more direction to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide access to reproductive healthcare services in response to the recent Dobbs decision. The order defines 'reproductive healthcare services' to mean medical, surgical, counseling, or referral services relating to the human reproductive system, including services relating to pregnancy or the termination of a pregnancy. First, the order instructs H

The ACA requires medical insurance companies to pay annual Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) rebates to policyholders by September 30, 2022, if the insurer spent less than a specified minimum percentage of the premium on medical claims and certain healthcare quality improvement initiatives in the prior calendar year. Depending on the employer and plan type, insurers will issue MLR rebates in the form of a premium credit or reduction (sometimes through a so-called 'premium holiday'), or a lump-sum premi

Gov. Scott recently signed H 266 into law, which requires group health insurance policies issued on or after January 1, 2024, to provide coverage for hearing aids. Each group policy will be required to cover the cost of a medically necessary hearing aid for each ear and the associated hearing aid professional services when the hearing aid or aids are prescribed, fitted, and dispensed by a hearing care professional. The coverage shall include hearing aid batteries when prescribed by a hearing ca

On August 10, 2022, Commissioner Stolfi published Bulletin No. DFR 2022-4, which addresses coverage for human Monkeypox virus (hMPXV) vaccination. According to the bulletin, all health benefit plans (including grandfathered health benefit plans) in Oregon must provide coverage for approved hMPXV vaccines and their administration in accordance with this bulletin. The coverage required under the bulletin includes vaccines administered to an individual after exposure to the virus as post-exposure

On June 16, 2022, Gov. Ige signed HB 2405 into law. The new law prohibits health insurers from discriminating against an individual in terms of coverage or cost based on the individual's actual or perceived gender identity. Additionally, carriers are prohibited from applying categorial cosmetic or blanket exclusions to gender affirming treatments or procedures when determined to be medically necessary. Further, health insurers must provide applicants and insured persons with clear information

On June 26, 2022, Gov. DeSantis approved SB 156 into law. The new law requires group health insurers to provide a loss run statement to an employer plan sponsor within 15 days of request. For this purpose, a loss run statement is defined as a report that contains: the premiums paid, the number of insureds on a monthly basis and the dependent status, policy number, the period of coverage, the number of claims, the paid losses on all claims and the date of each loss. The law was effective upon si