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Course Details

Course Information
  • smart_display Format

    On-Demand

  • signal_cellular_alt Difficulty Level

  • work Practice Area

    ERISA

Date & Time
  • event Date

    Thursday, May 21, 2020

  • schedule Time

    1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT

  • timer Program Length

    90 minutes

Credit Information

  • This 90-minute webinar is eligible in most states for 1.5 CLE credits.

$347.00
CLE
ALL

This CLE course will guide employee benefits attorneys and advisers on critical issues and challenges of COVID-19 on employee health and welfare plans and administration. The panel will discuss the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on employee benefits, the new Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the Act), vendor performance issues, HIPAA, and 401(k) considerations. The panel will also offer action plans to ensure legal and regulatory compliance for employers and plan administrators.

Faculty

Ryan C. Temme
Principal
Groom Law Group Chtd - Washington

Mr. Temme practices in the firm's Health and Welfare Practice Group, where he works on a variety of health law matters, with much of his practice focusing on implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). He is an expert on MHPAEA regulations and compliance and has helped a variety of plan sponsors and health insurers navigate DOL and CMS audits, as well as a variety of state regulatory parity issues.

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Rachel Leiser Levy
Principal
Groom Law Group Chtd - Washington

Ms. Levy is a principal in the Policy and Health and Welfare practice groups at Groom Law Group where she advises clients on a wide range of federal tax issues affecting employee benefits. She has deep technical and policy expertise with respect to health and welfare plans, cafeteria plans, fringe benefits, and tax nondiscrimination rules. Ms. Levy regularly represents large employers, insurers, service providers, and trade associations in technical advocacy before the Departments of Treasury (and the IRS), Health and Human Services, Labor and the Office of Management and Budget. She also advocates for clients on Capitol Hill, with a focus on the Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees.

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Description

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing significant employee benefits issues for employers. Employee benefits counsel must identify critical issues and implement a variety of administrative standards during this crisis.

Congress has passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the Act), which provides employees paid family and sick leave and financial assistance for coronavirus testing. The Act also requires all ERISA plans, both insured and self-insured, to cover (1) testing services, (2) any healthcare provider, urgent care, or emergency room visits for COVID-19, and (3) any item or service furnished during such evaluation or testing visit. These services are to be covered at no cost to employees and remain in place until the health crisis ends.

Also, as the number of new cases continuously increases, employee benefits counsel must prepare their response plans. Counsel must anticipate employee benefits issues that may arise relating to vendor performance, HIPAA, paid leave, 401(k) considerations, and other compliance issues and potential benefit change considerations.

Listen as our panel discusses the impact of COVID-19 on employee benefits and offer critical plans of action to ensure legal and regulatory compliance.

Outline

  1. Impact of the coronavirus on employee health and welfare benefits
  2. Families First Coronavirus Response Act and recent IRS guidance for high deductable health plans
  3. Critical steps for employers
    1. Plan amendments and privacy law requirements
    2. Vendor performance issues
    3. HIPAA
    4. Paid leave
    5. 401(k) considerations
  4. Best practices to ensure legal and regulatory compliance

Benefits

The panel will review these and other key issues:

  • What is the impact of COVID-19 on employee health and welfare benefits?
  • What are the key takeaways of the recently enacted Families First Coronavirus Response Act?
  • What guidance has been provided by the IRS concerning high deductable health plans and what are the tax implications?
  • What steps must be taken by employers in light of recent government actions?