Compliance Corner: Podcasts

In this episode, Suzanne Spradley and Chase Cannon look closely at newly revised DOL regulations relating to the FFCRA. Suzanne outlines the holding in the NY court case that led to the DOL’s revisions. Suzanne and Chase outline how the DOL’s revised regulations respond to the court’s position that the FFCRA’s “work availability” requirement was unreasoned and inconsistent. Suzanne continues with an explanation and discussion on how the revised regulations reiterate that work availability and employer agreement for intermittent leave are both grounded in longstanding FMLA rules. Suzanne and Chase break down the updated definition of “health care provider” in the context of exceptions from FFCRA leave. The two then close by outlining the DOL’s revised position on employee documentation of FFCRA leave.

In this episode, Chase Cannon and Suzanne Spradley review new DOL guidance on FFCRA (emergency paid sick leave and emergency family and medical leave) leave relating to the new school year. Chase outlines a few scenarios on school re-openings, including full and partial openings and virtual learning, and how an employee might or might not qualify for FFCRA leave. Chase and Suzanne then jump into a recent New York lawsuit challenging several provisions of DOL FFCRA guidance. The two close the podcast discussing the lawsuit’s potential impact on employers in and out of New York.

In this episode, Suzanne Spradley and Chase Cannon look at Joe Biden’s health care proposals, now that election season is formally upon us. Suzanne leads off by addressing the advantages and challenges of Biden’s initiative to add a public option, and how that might interact with the current private and marketplace plans. Suzanne and Chase discuss several past state initiatives relating to public options, and the challenges those states faced with affordability and solvency. Suzanne address Biden’s plan to expand Medicaid and improve the ACA, including restoration of the individual mandate. Suzanne and Chase close with a comparison of some of Biden’s initiatives in comparison to the employer-sponsored insurance market, and conclude that the employer model works well and should be preserved.

In this episode, Chase Cannon and Suzanne Spradley discuss several compliance challenges relating to remote workers in the pandemic environment. Chase starts by outlining employee eligibility – usually based on work location – in connection with state paid family and medical leave laws. Chase and Suzanne dig in to some recent guidance from Massachusetts regarding employee withholding for state paid family and medical leave for employees temporarily working both inside and outside Massachusetts. The two also discuss how other states’ rules might impact employees working remotely, and how the extension of work from home arrangements might play out with respect to state leave protections. Chase closes by addressing distribution of notices for remote workers, both at the federal and state level.

In our latest Insight from the Experts podcast, NFP's Head of Innovation, Mark Rieder, sits down with Susan Van Klink, chief revenue officer at League, to discuss their data-driven platform designed to provide a single access hub for employees to engage with their health, lifestyle and benefit programs. This new “front door” to healthcare eliminates the current sea of point solutions via an integrated ecosystem of over 100 insurance carriers, healthcare partners and HRIS systems. Customers like Unilever, Uber, Shopify and Lush Cosmetics are among the hundreds of employers currently using League to revolutionize their employee experience, drive better benefit utilization and reduce costs. Personalization is making its way into employee benefits and League is here to help revolutionize the employee healthcare experience with enterprise technology and data.

In this episode, Suzanne Spradley and Chase Cannon look at the definitions and history of telehealth, and the federal and state policies that helped spur its popularity. Suzanne discusses the recent surge, both prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, of telehealth usage. Suzanne and Chase discuss the policies and rules promulgated, both at the federal and state level, that helped facilitate that surge. Suzanne closes by outlining five policy suggestions to consider post-pandemic to keep the momentum going on usage and convenience of telehealth for group health plans, employers and employees.

In this episode, Chase Cannon and Suzanne Spradley look at recent DOL FFCRA guidance. Chase outlines new DOL FAQs on how the FFCRA impacts coverage of COVID-19 testing without cost sharing and expansion of telehealth coverage. Chase and Suzanne dig in on some new guidance for wellness programs in the pandemic environment. The two discuss a new DOL field assistance bulletin on whether summer camps can be considered “places of care” for purposes of FFCRA-protected leave. Chase closes with a short recap of a recent New York order denying state-protected COVID-19 leave for individuals who take personal trips to COVID-19 hot spots.

In this episode, Suzanne Spradley and Chase Cannon review policy recommendations to Congress relating to employer sponsored coverage, emphasizing ideas that would help employers get back to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Suzanne leads off discussing COBRA subsidies for those who lost or will lose employer coverage due to a furlough or layoff. Suzanne and Chase then turn their attention to direct primary care, on-site clinics and telehealth, all of which could use policy changes to help with ease of access and cost. Suzanne then dives into changes to health and dependent care FSAs and surprise medical bills that could be memorialized by Congress. The podcast closes with a discussion on coverage for COVID-19 testing and treatment, as well as recent guidance on antibody tests as a requirement for employees to return to work.

In our latest Insight from the Experts podcast, NFP's Head of Innovation, Mark Rieder, sits down with Jason Hellickson, CEO of Regenexx, to discuss their proprietary orthobiologic procedures that have created a new medical specialty platform called interventional orthopedics. This orthopedic healthcare innovation is less costly, less invasive and less risky than traditional orthopedic surgery. Planned orthopedic surgery costs have increased 44% in eight years and are constantly in the top 10 of employer spend within their health plans. Interventional orthopedics can offer employees a choice and greatly reduce orthopedic spend on individual procedures that they choose a majority of the time.