March 1, 2022
Group health plan sponsors are required to complete an online disclosure
form with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on an annual basis and at other select times, indicating whether the plan’s prescription drug coverage is creditable or non-creditable.
This disclosure requirement applies when an employer-sponsored group
health plan provides prescription drug coverage to individuals who are
eligible for coverage under Medicare Part D.
The plan sponsor must complete the online disclosure within 60 days after
the beginning of the plan year. For calendar year health plans, the deadline
for the annual online disclosure is March 1, 2022.
To determine whether the CMS reporting requirement applies, employers
should verify whether their group health plans cover any Medicare-eligible
individuals (including active employees, disabled employees, COBRA
participants, retirees, and their covered spouses and dependents) at the start of each plan year
February 15, 2022
The Federal No Surprises Act protects people covered under group
and individual health plans from receiving surprise medical
bills when they receive most emergency services, non-emergency services from out-of-network providers at in-network facilities and services from out-of-network air ambulance service providers. It also establishes an
independent dispute resolution process for payment disputes between plans and providers, and provides new dispute resolution opportunities for uninsured and self-pay individuals when they receive a medical bill that is
substantially greater than the good faith estimate they get from the provider.
Starting in 2022, there are new protections that prevent surprise medical bills. If you have private health insurance, these new protections ban the most common types of surprise bills. If you’re uninsured or you decide not to use your health insurance for a service, under these protections, you can often get a good faith estimate of the cost of your care up front before your visit. If you disagree with your bill, you may be able to dispute the charges.
Click here to find out more of what you need to know about your new rights.
