COVID-19 Health Emergency Order Extends No-Cost Coverage of Tests and Vaccines Employer plans should continue meeting all emergency-order requirements The Biden administration on Oct. 13 extended the COVID-19 public health emergency for an additional 90 days, keeping emergency measures in place through Jan. 11. The public health emergency was first declared in January 2020 and Read the full article…

American Rescue Plan Act Employment-related Provisions President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) into law on March 11, 2021. The law generally provides financial relief for individuals, state and local governments, schools, businesses and for other purposes. In addition, the law contains the following measures of special interest to employers and their employees: Read the full article…

Washington, D.C. –  Matt Eyles, president and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), issued this statement following President Biden’s Executive Order designed to ensure that more Americans can obtain coverage as the nation continues to work to overcome the COVID-19 crisis: Every American deserves access to affordable, comprehensive health coverage and high-quality care. We applaud Read the full article…

As the national economy reopens, an unprecedented number of workers will be required to wear faces masks in the workplace for the first time. To help employers provide a safer work environment, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published a series of answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the use of masks Read the full article…

When: On June 5, 2020, President Trump signed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (PPPFA) into law. These amendments are effective as if included in the CARES Act. What: The PPPFA modifies provisions related to the forgiveness of loans made to small businesses under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) implemented in response to COVID-19. The Read the full article…

New York – Waiver of Copayments, Coinsurance, and Annual Deductibles for Mental Health Services Rendered by In-Network Providers on an Outpatient Basis for Essential Workers Published: 05.04.2020 When: Effective immediately; expires July 31, 2020. Why: To ensure that essential workers have access to mental health services this amendment is promulgated on an emergency basis for the preservation Read the full article…

         EEOC, OSHA AND ADA RECOMMENDATIONS FOR              RE-OPENING YOUR OFFICE Although these are “recommendations”, this will vary depending on office policy, social distancing risks, employee occupations, field work and a host of other concerns relative to your particular business. First and foremost, there is NO guidance Read the full article…

Employers Can Let Workers Change Health Plans Without Waiting The I.R.S. is giving companies flexibility to allow those decisions, and on pretax accounts for medical expenses and child care, outside an enrollment period. New guidance from the Internal Revenue Service will allow companies to give workers more flexibility because of the coronavirus outbreak.Credit…Ting Shen for The Read the full article…

Public Access TV Interview Regarding Employee Benefits and Re-Opening your Business with Gail Hiller-Lee https://youtu.be/9d3mgnRboxs

Signs of trouble – and progress – as Obamacare 2019 open enrollment nears Jayne O’Donnell, USA TODAYPublished 6:00 a.m. ET Aug. 19, 2019 | Updated 6:04 p.m. ET Aug. 19, 2019 Ashley Candler of Austin was able to get in-patient addiction and mental health treatment thanks to the Affordable Care Act. (Photo: Courtesy of Ashley Candler) Read the full article…