Compliance Corner: Podcasts

In the latest episode of our Election Update podcast mini-series, Armstrong Robinson, chief advocacy officer at Finseca, and NFP’s Kristin Bulat discuss the factors driving unprecedented early voting, how it might affect when we have final results and implications for future elections. Army and Kristin also contrast the uncertainty surrounding the election with the certainty provided by life insurance and financial planning.

In this episode, Suzanne Spradley and Chase Cannon discuss the lawsuit challenging the ACA that is set for Supreme Court oral arguments on November 10, 2020. Suzanne outlines the basis for the lawsuit—a claim that the ACA’s individual mandate is unconstitutional, and that the individual mandate is not severable from the remainder of the ACA. Suzanne details the history of the case, the arguments made on either side, and the potential impact of a decision either way. Suzanne and Chase discuss Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s very recent appointment to the Supreme Court, and how her views on the role of the judiciary branch might impact the outcome of the ACA case.

In our latest Insights from the Experts podcast, Mark Rieder sits down with Gina Bartasi, CEO of KindBody, to discuss their global end-to-end family building benefit for all. KindBody’s mission is to offer best-in-class care, accessible pricing and a seamless experience for fertility, gynecology and wellness services. Learn how their emphasis on personalized, human-centered care supported by modern tech is on the leading edge of family building support.

Our latest US Benefits Trend Report podcast features a conversation with Mark Rieder, NFP’s head of innovation. Mark talks with Kim Bell, SVP, head of health and benefits, about opportunities in the employee benefits space, the acceleration of innovation in response to COVID-19, and innovating to solve big problems and improve lives. Mark also discusses how living in a digital world requires that employers embrace digital transformation in how they deliver benefits to employees. He closes with insights on relationships with startups (partnership vs. disruption), applying existing technologies to evolving problems, and the importance of adaptability and a long-term view. Listen to the full podcast here.

In this episode, Chase Cannon and Suzanne Spradley address some confusion on recent HHS announcements extending their emergency declarations. Chase begins by describing two pandemic-related requirements — one relating to FFCRA/CARES Act COVID-19 testing/diagnosis, and one relating to the deadline extensions for COBRA notices and premium payments, HIPAA special enrollment windows, and claims appeals. Chase and Suzanne describe the differences in the HHS and White house declarations of national emergencies, which drive the effective time periods for the requirements themselves. Suzanne finishes with lightning-round questioning of state developments, as Chase describes recent developments in California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New York and Washington

The latest episode of the Election Update podcast mini-series features insights from David Carter, chief investment officer at Lenox Wealth Management, and Michael Moriarty, chief investment officer at Wealthspire Advisors. David and Michael detail factors affecting the markets, including stimulus spending and federal monetary policy. They also share how market volatility is actually positive for investors, particularly those with financial plans designed to accommodate market fluctuations. The takeaways? The markets will be just fine, regardless of the election outcome, and as long as there’s uncertainty, there will be volatility.

With just four weeks until Election Day, and one formal presidential debate under our belts, Suzanne Spradley and Chase Cannon take a fresh look at Joe Biden’s healthcare proposals in the latest episode of our 2020 Election Podcast mini-series. Episode highlights include insight on: - 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. - Several past state initiatives relating to public options, and the challenges those states faced with affordability and solvency. - Biden’s plan to expand Medicaid and improve the ACA. - A comparison of some of Biden’s initiatives to the employer-sponsored insurance market, which shows the employer model is working well and should be preserved.

NFP’s own Suzanne Spradley, Chief Compliance Officer, and Chase Cannon, VP, Benefits Compliance and Counsel, have dedicated the second episode of the Election Series on NFP’s Insights from the Experts Podcast to a thorough discussion of the nomination process and the impact that an open seat in the Supreme Court could have on the election and on cases currently before the Court. You can read a full analysis on this podcast on nfp.com

Helping employers thrive in an increasingly complex benefits compliance landscape In the face of more rules and regulations, employers are working harder than ever to keep up. In our latest podcast, our benefits compliance expert shares insights on tracking new developments, assessing their impact and being flexible to position your organization for continued success.