Author: Scott Welch
The Biden administration on Thursday began putting in place consumer protections against “surprise” medical bills enacted in bipartisan legislation signed last year by former President Donald Trump. Regulations jointly issued by four federal agencies spell out protections for insured patients against surprise billing in medical emergencies, and unexpected charges from out-of-network doctors at an in-network ...
A contract dispute being waged in a Northern California courtroom is complicating the re-election plans for state Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, who two years ago suspended all fundraising amid a campaign finance scandal uncovered by The San Diego Union-Tribune. The lawsuit involves Lara’s one-time boss and political mentor, former California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez. It ...
When President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act on June 17, 2021, creating the Juneteenth National Independence Day to be celebrated on June 19 every year, it created the 11th federal holiday and the first since the creation of the Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday in 1983. Juneteenth marks the day ...
New coronavirus cases have jumped more than 20% in California and the Bay Area since the state’s June 15 reopening – a sign that even as residents embrace a return to normalcy, the virus can still spread among unvaccinated people and will likely linger for months to come. Statewide, new cases crept up from about ...
The pandemic has heightened awareness of worker mental health issues, especially burnout and isolation. However, many employers struggle to build a fully integrated approach, with low program participation and limited resources cited as the top barriers to success. “The COVID-19 crisis accelerated the evolution of workplace well-being efforts,” said Rebecca Ray, Ph.D., executive vice president, ...
It would lengthen the annual open enrollment period, expand the role of navigators and nix Trump-era guidelines for waivers that were criticized for allowing states to skirt coverage requirements.
Gov. Gavin Newsom routinely boasts that California has “one of the highest vaccination rates in the United States of America.”
Benefits brokers who consult with plan administrators of employer-sponsored group health plans, will need to ready clients for the multiple phases that will follow receipt of qualified beneficiaries’ American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”) subsidy elections, which will start rolling in during the next month.
Advocates of lowering prescription drug prices are beginning to use an expensive new Alzheimer's drug to make the case for reform, but actually addressing the therapy's price raises complicated policy challenges.
Many Americans who thought their retirement planning was on track before the pandemic now find their plans detoured or even derailed. Fidelity’s State of Retirement Planning study examined the extent of planning Americans have undertaken to meet their retirement goals, how they feel about those efforts and the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on their preparation. The study also looks at ...