Reminder: PCORI Fees Due July 31, 2020

Fees Apply to Employers Sponsoring Certain Self-insured Plans As a reminder, employers that sponsor certain self-insured health plans are responsible for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fees. Fees for plan years that ended in 2019 are due July 31, 2020. Under the Affordable Care Act, PCORI fees were originally scheduled to apply to policy or plan years ending…

Work-life Balance Considerations Post Coronavirus   

The coronavirus pandemic has sparked one of the largest social experiments in history. Virtually overnight, businesses across the world have been forced to rethink how they operate. Decisions made during this uncertain period will resonate for years and may serve as the base for a new, remote lifestyle post-coronavirus. Employee work-life balance is especially important…

HHS Increases Civil Penalties for HIPAA Violations

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently published a final rule increasing the civil monetary penalties for violations of laws enforced by HHS, including the HIPAA privacy and security rules. HHS is required to adjust these penalties for inflation each year to improve their effectiveness and maintain their deterrent effect. The new penalty…

SAMPLE Pandemic Flu Leave Policy

In the event of a pandemic flu outbreak, as declared by management, in conjunction with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the following Pandemic Flu Leave policy applies to all employees, including temporary and non-benefit eligible. This leave policy is above and beyond what is provided under the company’s Paid Time Off…

HR Insights: Coronaviruses and the Workplace

Coronaviruses are fairly common and don’t typically affect humans. When they do, their effects are usually mild, as in the case of the common cold. However, deadlier variations of these coronaviruses have cropped up in recent years. Two examples of these evolved strains are the SARS virus of 2003 and the novel coronavirus, which was…

Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

The following interim guidance may help prevent workplace exposures to acute respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, in non-healthcare settings. The guidance also provides planning considerations if there are more widespread, community outbreaks of COVID-19. To prevent stigma and discrimination in the workplace, use only the guidance described below to determine risk of COVID-19. Do not make…

PCORI Fees Extended for 10 Years

The same spending bill that repealed the Cadillac tax, the medical devices excise tax and the health insurance providers fee reinstated the annual Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fees for the 2020-2029 fiscal years. As a result, specified health insurance policies and applicable self-insured health plans must continue to pay these fees through 2029. What…