Republican lawmakers are calling the Biden administration’s plan to extend the Medicare trust fund’s solvency a tax hike on small businesses. According to this InsideHealthPolicy article, US House Committee on Ways and Means Republicans say their own legislation would protect Medicare benefits if the country runs against its spending limit. Read more here.

The post GOP Calls Biden’s Medicare Plans a Tax Hike on Small Businesses appeared first on EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BLOG.

https://www.employeebenefitsblog.com/2023/03/gop-calls-bidens-medicare-plans-a-tax-hike-on-small-businesses/

On January 30, 2023, the Biden administration announced its intention to make final extensions of both the COVID-19 National Emergency (NE) and the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) through May 11, 2023, at which point both will end. These emergency declarations have been in place for nearly three years and have enabled the government to […]

The post How Employers Need to Prepare for the End of the COVID Public Health Emergency and National Emergency appeared first on EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BLOG.

https://www.employeebenefitsblog.com/2023/03/how-employers-need-to-prepare-for-the-end-of-the-covid-public-health-emergency-and-national-emergency/

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued a proposed rule regarding Contract Year 2024 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage (MA) and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Programs. This proposed rule includes a range of proposals addressing popular topics, including marketing and prior authorization, along with other significant changes to utilization […]

The post CMS Issues Broad-Ranging Medicare Advantage and Part D Proposed Rule appeared first on EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BLOG.

https://www.employeebenefitsblog.com/2023/02/cms-issues-broad-ranging-medicare-advantage-and-part-d-proposed-rule/

A Massachusetts federal judge recently gave a major win to Schneider Electric in an employee benefits lawsuit brought by former workers. According to this Law360 article, seven former Schneider Electric employees accused the company and its investment manager of running afoul of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 when they replaced well-performing funds […]

The post ERISA 401(k) Fee Case Victory for Schneider appeared first on EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BLOG.

https://www.employeebenefitsblog.com/2023/02/erisa-401k-fee-case-victory-for-schneider/

On January 5, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a proposed rule that would prohibit employers from using noncompete agreements with their employees or independent contractors. This proposal arises from a preliminary finding by the FTC that noncompetes constitute an unfair method of competition in violation of Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC […]

The post FTC Proposes Rule Banning Noncompete Agreements appeared first on EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BLOG.

https://www.employeebenefitsblog.com/2023/01/ftc-proposes-rule-banning-noncompete-agreements/