In Case You Missed It – Summer 2021

Anne M. Meyer • October 12, 2021

Summer has come and gone, but there was no summer vacation for employee benefits legislation and guidance. In case you have been too busy to check out our blogs lately, here are some key items to help you stay organized and catch up on items you might have missed. As always, you may access our entire catalogue of employee benefits blog posts here on the Snell & Wilmer website. You also may view all of our SW Benefits Updates here.

Posted on August 16, 2021 by Allison Bans

On July 1, 2021, the Office of Personnel Management, Department of the Treasury, Department of Health and Human Services, and Department of Labor issued the interim final rule “ Requirements Related to Surprise Billing; Part I ” (the “IFR”), which is the first phase of regulations implementing the No Surprises Act.

Posted on September 9, 2021 by Nancy K. Campbell

Year-end is always a scramble for health plan sponsors as they go through renewal and open enrollment. This year was looking to be worse than normal given the impending deadlines for complying with the transparency in coverage regulations (“TiC”) and the numerous changes made by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the “CAA”).

Posted on June 11, 2021 by Greg Gautam

On May 13, 2021, Phoenix executive compensation and employee benefits partner, Greg Gautam, joined Snell & Wilmer’s “CalCurrent” podcast. On his episode, Greg covered five common pitfalls private companies and startup companies should watch out for when structuring their equity compensation and incentive programs.

Posted on August 19, 2021 by Amberlee Conley

Back in June of 2019, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (“USPSTF”) released an A-rated recommendation for HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis (“PrEP”). As a result, the Affordable Care Act’s preventive care rules require group health plans to cover recommended PrEP without cost-sharing, effective for plan years beginning on or after June 30, 2020 (i.e., effective January 1, 2021 for plans with calendar year plan years).

Employee burnout: what it is and how to prevent it

By Mardy Gould • May 24, 2024
Employee burnout has become an epidemic in today’s modern workplace. So much so that the World Health Organization (WHO) officially recognizes it as an “occupational phenomenon.”1 While many used to consider mounting workplace stress an individual employee problem, these days, it’s become an employer’s responsibility to prevent burnout before it hurts productivity and business performance—not to mention your employees’ physical and mental health. Luckily, you can prevent burnout from affecting your workforce in several ways. This article will explore the causes and signs of employee burnout and the steps you can take to create a positive work environment where employees feel safe from toxic stress levels.

Form 720 and PCORI fee FAQs

By Mardy Gould • May 23, 2024
If you're a small business owner, you may have heard of the acronym PCORI and the fees that come with it. But what is PCORI, and how does it apply to your organization? Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), sponsors of self-insured health plans must pay a fee to fund the federal Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). PCORI is an independent organization the ACA created to conduct research to help healthcare consumers make better decisions for their specific needs and outcomes. It also performs research related to clinical effectiveness. Employers offering a self-insured medical reimbursement health plan, such as a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), must pay this fee by July 31 each year via Form 7201. This fee was initially set to expire in 2019, but Congress extended it through September 30, 20292, due to the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 20203.
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