New and Updated in Health and Welfare Plans (Q1 2021) | Practical Law
New from Practical Law Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation! A collection of the top Health and Welfare Plan resources we published or significantly updated during Q1 2021.
New from Practical Law Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation! A collection of the top Health and Welfare Plan resources we published or significantly updated during Q1 2021.
At Practical Law, we are constantly expanding and updating our Health and Welfare Plan resources to reflect the latest developments in employee benefits law. The following list reflects some of the most important Health and Welfare Plan resources we've published or substantially revised during Q1 2021:
COBRA Premium Assistance Under ARPA-21. This entirely new practice note addresses premium assistance requirements for COBRA health plan continuation coverage, as required by federal legislation enacted in response to the US outbreak of COVID-19, the disease that results from SARS-CoV-2 (American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA-21)).
COVID-19 Vaccine and Testing Requirements for Group Health Plans. This practice note is substantially updated, including to address FAQ guidance issued by the Departments in February 2021, under which (among other provisions) plans and insurers may not deny coverage of recommended COVID-19 vaccines because a participant or beneficiary is not part of a recommended category for early vaccination.
Group Health Plan Coverage Mandate for SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, and Serology Testing. This resource is updated to reflect implementing guidance under which the Departments clarified that plans and insurers may not use medical screening criteria to deny (or impose cost-sharing on) claims for COVID-19 diagnostic testing for asymptomatic individuals who have no known or suspected exposure to COVID-19.
HIPAA Business Associate Agreement. We updated this standard document to reflect a prohibition (under the CAA-21) on gag clauses regarding health provider information, including with regard to HIPAA business associates.
Nondiscrimination in Health Care Providers Under the ACA. This resource, addressing the ACA rule prohibiting group health plans and insurers from discriminating against health care providers, is updated to reflect requirements under the CAA-21.