McDermott, Will and Emery, LLP

New York State Ends COVID-19 HERO Act Designation

On March 17, 2022, New York State’s Commissioner of Health ended the designation of COVID-19 as an airborne infectious disease that presents a serious risk of harm to public health under the New York Health and Essential Rights (HERO) Act. As of that date, private sector employers in New York State are no longer required […]

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https://www.employeebenefitsblog.com/2022/03/new-york-state-ends-covid-19-hero-act-designation/

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McDermott, Will and Emery, LLP

Trump-Era Medicare Program Under Increased Scrutiny

A Trump administration-era Medicare program is under increased scrutiny from progressive Democrats. According to this Politico article, the program is a “direct contracting model” that allows private companies to participate in Medicare. Some Democrats, however, say the program is opening up a lane for Medicare privatization. “There’s a dynamic with the left that [the Center […]

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https://www.employeebenefitsblog.com/2022/03/trump-era-medicare-program-under-increased-scrutiny/

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McDermott, Will and Emery, LLP

Digital Health 2021 Year in Review

The continuation of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and consumer demand for digitally delivered healthcare not only necessitated the shift from in-person to virtual care, but also continued to drive interest, adoption, investment and transactions in digital health in 2021. Digital health funding in 2021 far surpassed 2020’s totals, with no signs of slowing […]

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https://www.employeebenefitsblog.com/2022/03/digital-health-2021-year-in-review/

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McDermott, Will and Emery, LLP

Four Discrimination Questions Employers Have About COVID-19

As the world enters the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, employers have gained a greater understanding about the virus’ relationship with US anti-discrimination laws. With the inevitable rise of future variants and long-haul COVID-19 cases, however, businesses are still navigating murky waters. In this Law360 article, McDermott Partner Lindsay Ditlow offers perspective about worker […]

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https://www.employeebenefitsblog.com/2022/02/four-discrimination-questions-employers-have-about-covid-19/

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McDermott, Will and Emery, LLP

2022 Health Policy Outlook

The US healthcare system is entering the third year of a public health emergency due to COVID-19, and the challenges and enduring pressures of the pandemic will require US Congress and the Biden administration to consider new response strategies. But other health policy priorities also will garner attention. As we start a new year and […]

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https://www.employeebenefitsblog.com/2022/02/2022-health-policy-outlook/

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Workers’ Comp Rule Doesn’t Bar Employee’s Suit for Spouse’s COVID-19 Death

A California appellate court ruled that an employee whose spouse died from COVID-19 was not barred by the California Workers’ Compensation Act exclusivity rule from… https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/state-and-local-updates/pages/calif-employee-suit-for-spouse-covid-19-death.aspx

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McDermott, Will and Emery, LLP

Issues Mount as Health Plans Offer At-Home COVID-19 Tests

The Biden administration’s January guidance that group health plans and insurers cover the costs of at-home COVID-19 tests has rattled insurers and employers. According to this SHRM article, insurers’ data processing systems have had difficulty paying for tests purchased by consumers at pharmacies, and self-insured employers have struggled to identify the best way to pay […]

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https://www.employeebenefitsblog.com/2022/02/issues-mount-as-health-plans-offer-at-home-covid-19-tests/

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McDermott, Will and Emery, LLP

Cryptocurrency for Employee Benefits Lawyers: What You Need to Know

As cryptocurrencies gain popularity, employers are considering how they can be used as part of compensation arrangements and benefit plans to attract and retain talent. McDermott Partners Andrew Liazos, Andrea Kramer and Brian Tiemann recently offered their perspectives about cryptocurrency, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) taxation guidance of convertible virtual currencies and other cryptocurrency-related compensation issues […]

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https://www.employeebenefitsblog.com/2022/02/cryptocurrency-for-employee-benefits-lawyers-what-you-need-to-know/

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California Lawmakers Seek to Fast-Track COVID-19 Paid-Sick-Leave Law

As the COVID-19 omicron variant continues to surge and impact employee absenteeism, California lawmakers are looking to revive coronavirus-related paid sick leave at the… https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/state-and-local-updates/pages/california-covid-19-paid-sick-leave-law.aspx

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McDermott, Will and Emery, LLP

As Some Healthcare Employees Work While Sick, Could Other Industries Follow Suit?

Throughout the latest COVID-19 wave, some healthcare employers have relaxed safety measures to bring COVID-positive employees back to work. According to this Corporate Counsel article, these decisions may signal a new direction in how businesses deal with safety measures as they navigate a competitive labor market and demand. McDermott’s Abigail M. Kagan noted many healthcare […]

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https://www.employeebenefitsblog.com/2022/01/as-some-healthcare-employees-work-while-sick-could-other-industries-follow-suit/

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