Phia Group Blog Posts

Empowering Plans: P114 – Time to Vent!

On July 23, 2021
In one of the most energetic Phia podcasts to date, our Chief Legal Office – Ron Peck, and our Sr. VP of Consulting – Jen McCormick, discuss key mistakes and false beliefs dominating the media, politics, and the general public, before dissecting how those errors have impacted recent rulemaking. If you want to be both entertained and enlightened, this is the must-listen episode!

Canadian Drug Importation – Back on Track (but not for everyone)

On July 19, 2021
Initially, a July 2020 Trump executive order directed HHS to develop regulations under which states, Indian tribes, “and in certain future circumstances pharmacists and wholesalers” could develop and submit foreign drug importation programs for approval. The regulations in question appeared on September 24, 2020, and states quickly began developing and submitting plans for approval. However, to date, none have been approved.

Surprise, surprise! Analyzing the No Surprises Act Part Deux

On July 12, 2021
In the afternoon hours of July 1st, 2021, several U.S. departments released some much-anticipated surprise billing regulations, meant to implement the No Surprises Act. When that act was first outlined in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, The Phia Group was there to provide you with a detailed assessment of the rules. Now, join The Phia Group as they once again dive into the world of surprise bills and dissect this important law. From discussing what we know, to outlining what is yet to come, anyone who will be impacted by this law (and – spoiler alert – that includes you), must attend this free webinar.

Empowering Plans: P113 – Ahlborn Revisited

On July 9, 2021
In this episode of Empowering Plans, Rebekah McGuire-Dye and Lisa Hill talk about Medicaid and subrogation & reimbursement. SCOTUS has recently agreed to hear a Medicaid case involving conflicting state court and federal court decisions out of Florida, and whether or not the term “medical expenses” covers ALL medical expenses, or only past medical expenses, for purposes of subrogation & reimbursement. Listen in as Rebekah and Lisa discuss this case and its potential ramifications.

Empowering Plans: P112 – Healthcare Subrogation, The Comeback! Post-Covid Edition

On June 25, 2021
Subrogation Attorneys Cindy Merrell and Maribel Echeverry McLaughlin discuss healthcare subrogation in the post-Covid environment, and the difficulties faced during the international pandemic. What can Plans expect now that the courts are reopening, and drivers are back on the roads, and how Plans can assist in getting higher recovery numbers.

Back on Track: Plan Sponsor Priorities for the Second Half of 2021

On June 21, 2021
With the pandemic (mostly) in the rear-view mirror, it is time for plan sponsors and their partners to get back on track. Shoring up traditional cost-containment solutions will be important, but in this new environment, that will not be enough. New methods are needed to deal with new challenges. Two of the most serious threats to plan compliance and viability are now mental health parity requirements and rising prescription drug prices. In this webinar, The Phia Group’s legal team will examine some simple cost-containment solutions and plan document changes, as well as a few cutting-edge techniques to prepare you for the second half of the year.

Louisville Business First Names The Phia Group, LLC a Best Place to Work in Greater Louisville

On June 15, 2021
The Phia Group announced that it has earned a Best Places to Work in Greater Louisville award, issued by Louisville Business First. The Best Places to Work program—administered in partnership with Quantum Workplace—surveys employees about workplace policies, office conditions, management styles, morale, and more. The Phia Group is humbled to be one of only 43 businesses and nonprofits, with at least 10 full-time employees and an office in the Louisville area, that scored high enough to be awarded.

Good to Be Back

On June 10, 2021
Regardless of whether you are an employer, or service employers, or both (like The Phia Group), one question keeps popping up. As restrictions are lifted in each State, people find themselves emerging from their basement offices. This, then, begs the question amongst employers: “When do we have employees return to the office? What can we do to incentivize them to return to the office? Can we force them to return to the office?”

MHPAEA Compliance: The Dreaded NQTL Analysis

On June 1, 2021
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (or MHPAEA) now requires health plans to “show their work” and perform a comprehensive NQTL analysis of the health plan itself. That sentence means different things to different people; many, including me, groan from the general lack of regulatory guidance and somewhat vague rules regarding what the analysis entails. We know the basics, sure, but that’s sort of all we’ve been told.

Empowering Plans: P110 – NQTL? MHPAEA?! OMG, IDK!

On May 27, 2021
In this episode of Empowering Plans, attorneys Nick Bonds and Jon Jablon discuss one of the most mysterious topics of the CAA: the Non-Quantitative Treatment Limitation analysis now required by the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. Not surprisingly, this analysis is anything but straightforward, and certainly no easy task for health plans – especially with very little helpful regulatory guidance. Jon and Nick are here to talk about what the heck NQTLs actually are, what the analysis entails, and how health plans can best protect themselves from the DOL’s wrath!

The Light at the End of the COVID Tunnel – Pandemic Fallout and Permanent Changes

On May 24, 2021
As we turn the page on the COVID-19 pandemic and witness a gradual return to normalcy, we – as both members of the health benefits industry, and employers – must assess the fallout, and determine which changes are temporary, and which aren’t going anywhere. From how we seek and deliver healthcare to rules controlling how we pay for it, join The Phia Group’s team on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, at 1:00 PM EST, as they discuss pandemic era regulations – such as ARPA and the American Families Plan, analyze employer “return to work” policies, as well as predict how the past year will impact the future – and cost – of health care. Following the free webinar, the team will conduct two breakout sessions. The first will provide a deep dive into COVID-19’s effect on health care providers, influence on patient behavior, and how both will result in higher costs for the foreseeable future. The second will provide a deep dive into employer policies, best practices, and what every organization needs to know as they welcome their teams back to the office.

The Supreme Court Takes Up Abortion Rights Once Again

On May 24, 2021
The current lineup on the Supreme Court’s bench leaves it with a six-justice conservative majority, meaning the cases it takes up will almost certainly move American jurisprudence decidedly to the right. This shift is visible in not merely the opinions this majority writes, but also in the types of cases the Court decides to hear.

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