Healthcare

Subscribe to Healthcare via RSS

On November 9, 2010, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (the “EEOC”) published final regulations (the “Regulations”) implementing the employment provisions (Title II) of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (“GINA”).  Title II of GINA, which went into effect in November of 2009, prohibits employment discrimination based on genetic information, and restricts the acquisition and disclosure of genetic information. …
Read More Final GINA Regulations Published in Federal Register

As we reported to you in our September 27 update (please click here to view this and other previous updates), several dozen comments associated with CMS’s proposed rule for the Medicare Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update for Calendar Year 2011 addressed the so-called “36-month rule” for home health agencies (HHAs) that went into effect in January 2010. …
Read More Healthcare News from Capitol Hill and the Department of Health and Human Services – November 22, 2010

IMPACT OF THE ELECTION ON HEALTHCARE REFORM:  The November 2 midterm congressional elections resulted in a change in leadership in the House of Representatives, where Republicans are poised to take control of the chamber when the 112th Congress convenes in early January 2011. …
Read More Healthcare News from Capitol Hill and the Department of Health and Human Services – November 8, 2010

On October 21, 2010, the Executive and Plenary committees of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”) voted to adopt a model regulation containing the definitions and methodologies for calculating medical loss ratios as stipulated under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”).  The model was delivered to Health and Human Services (“HHS”) on October 27, 2010 for certification. …
Read More NAIC Adopts Model Regulation for Final Medical Loss Ratios

Effective October 1, 2010, the New York Insurance Department (the “Department”) has authority to review health insurance rate requests before they go into effect.   Before this “prior approval” authority went into effect, health insurers could simply increase their rates by filing with the Department and notifying customers of the change under a system known as “file and use.” …
Read More NYID Implements “Prior Approval” of Health Insurance Rates

On October 1, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a series of Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program grants totaling $9 million.  These grants were awarded to SMPs across the country, and will be administered by the Administration on Aging (AoA) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). …
Read More Healthcare News from Capitol Hill and the Department of Health and Human Services – October 12, 2010

Nearly 2,000 businesses, unions and state governments have been approved thus far for the federal government’s Early Retiree Reinsurance Program.  Created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the program subsidizes health insurance costs for retiring workers age 55 and older who have chronic and high-cost health conditions. …
Read More Early Retiree Reinsurance Program is Underway; It’s Not Too Late to Apply

On September 24, 2010, the Florida Health Insurance Advisory Board and the state’s Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) held a joint public hearing to review the impact of the Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) requirements contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.  The Board then passed a resolution to seek a waiver from the MLR requirements. …
Read More Florida Plans to Seek Waiver of Medical Loss Ratio Requirements of PPACA