FraserTrebilcock Blog
Affordable Care Act: What Every Business Needs to Know
May 15th, 2013
Below is information provided during a seminar titled, The Affordable Care Act: An Overview of What to Expect, hosted by the Lansing Chamber of Commerce. In this first of three sessions, Fraser Trebilcock Lawyers, along with Blue Cross Blue Shield and Grotenhuis, helped area business leaders to understand the ACA. You can learn more about the session and upcoming sessions here: LRCC Programs on Health Care Reform. Scroll to the bottom for more links related to ACA.
Client Alert: Updated SBC Guidance and Templates for Second Year of Applicability
April 25th, 2013
A group health plan and a health insurance issuer offering group health insurance coverage must provide an SBC to participants and beneficiaries (including COBRA qualified beneficiaries under certain circumstances) with respect to each benefit package offered by the plan or issuer for which the participant or beneficiary is eligible.
Accounting for Accountable Care Organizations
April 23rd, 2013
Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are organizations of health care providers who provide care to a group of patients. Created in an attempt to decrease the cost of service delivery and increase efficiency, value and profit, these organizations are new territory for the CPA professional. Read More
Health Insurance Exchanges: The Participation Paradox
March 21st, 2013
As state and federal agencies work to create operational health exchanges, one critical question remains unanswered: How will the key stakeholders participate in the new health exchanges? Read More
Employers Be Wary of Upcoming Health Plan Fees
March 21st, 2013
Through the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Act”), the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (“Institute”) was created to promote research to advance the quality of evidence-based medicine. The Institute is funded through the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund, which is financed, in part, by fees paid by plan sponsors of applicable self-insured health plans and issuers of specified health insurance policies. For the first year of applicability, the fee is $1 per covered life and increases for later years. The first deadline for payment of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee is this July 31, 2013.
Client Alert: Final PCORI Rules – Payment Due July 31st
March 11th, 2013
Please remember that $1/covered life under your health plans must be reported and paid by July 31, 2013. This is applicable for any plan with a plan year that ended on or after October 1, 2012. Please see below for more details. Read More
Michigan Moves One Step Closer to a Federal-State Partnership Health Exchange
March 1st, 2013
On February 27, 2013, the Michigan House Appropriations Committee overwhelmingly approved $30.67 million in federal grant money to establish a State Partnership Exchange. A day later, House Bill 4111, which permits the state to accept the federal grant, passed the Michigan House of Representatives with a vote of 78 to 31. The bill now moves to the Michigan Senate. Read More
Client Alert: New Final HIPAA Regulations Released
January 29th, 2013
Health plans, their sponsors, associated employers, and business associates have a lot of HIPAA work to do (including major updates to current documents) over the next several months. On January 25, 2013, pursuant in part to the statutory framework of the HITECH Act, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) published long-awaited final regulations modifying HIPAA’s privacy, security, enforcement, and breach notification rules.
Reminder: Disclosure Due to CMS for Medicare Part D/Form W-2 Reporting Due/Notice of Exchanges Delayed
January 25th, 2013
Deadline Coming Up for Calendar Year Plans to Submit Medicare Part D Notice to CMS As you know, group health plans offering prescription drug coverage are required to disclose to all Part D-eligible individuals who are enrolled in or were seeking to enroll in the group health plan coverage whether such coverage was “actuarially equivalent,” i.e., creditable. (Coverage is creditable if its actuarial value equals or exceeds the actuarial value of standard prescription drug coverage under Part D.) This notice is required to be provided to all Part D eligible persons, including active employees, retirees, spouses, dependents and COBRA qualified beneficiaries. Read More
Changes in Health Care Laws Allow Retailers to Expand the Scope of Rewards Programs
January 16th, 2013
Introduction: Rewards programs have become an increasingly popular and important way for businesses to attract new customers and retain their most profitable clientele. In addition, these programs provide companies with a wealth of data related to consumer purchases that can be used to forecast demand and create targeted marketing initiatives. Read More