Benefits Buzz

Posted January 18th, 2023 in

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Congress enacted a law called the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). One of the provisions of the FFCRA included a requirement that state Medicaid programs keep individuals continuously enrolled in coverage through the end of the month in which the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) ends. In return, state Medicaid programs have received enhanced federal funding.

Posted January 12th, 2023 in Employers

The COVID-19 national public health emergency is set to expire on January 11, 2023; however, the Biden administration is expected to issue another extension of the national public health emergency. It is unknown at this time when the national public health emergency will be declared over.

Tags:
Posted December 28th, 2022 in Family, Individuals

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) have become a popular way to pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses and/or save for future medical expenses. HSAs are considered by many to be the “unicorn” of financial accounts. The primary reason for this claim to fame are the triple tax advantage features of HSAs. Contributions are taxdeductible, earnings and interest grow tax-deferred, and withdrawals are tax-free provided the money is used for an out-of-pocket medical expense.

Posted December 21st, 2022 in

Many telemedicine programs disqualify a person from making contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA). Generally, telemedicine programs that have a $0 copay or low dollar copay will eliminate HSA eligibility. Typically, a telemedicine program must apply the full cost of the virtual visit to the deductible, or it can only cover limited benefits (e.g., preventive-only services, dental-only services) to preserve HSA eligibility.

Tags:
Posted December 14th, 2022 in Employers

Annual Medicare Part D reporting is required for all employers who provide health benefits with prescription drug coverage. The reporting is an online filing to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and it lets CMS know if the prescription drug coverage available on the employer’s health plan is “creditable.”

Posted December 7th, 2022 in Employers

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) created a research institute known as the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). The goal of PCORI is to help patients and those who care for them make better-informed decisions about healthcare choices. PCORI is funded in part by fees which are charged to health plans.

Tags:

Archives

SUBSCRIBE TO THE FLEX BLOG

Tag Cloud

Stay Connected

Close
Subscribe
Never miss out on blog posts
with the latest news and updates.