Phia Group

What the Overturning of Chevron Means for Healthcare

On July 19, 2024
For the past forty years, federal agencies have had considerable latitude to interpret and enforce regulations and subsequently advance regulatory initiatives. Per the precedent established in the Supreme Court’s 1984 decision in Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, courts have had to defer to federal agencies regarding legal challenges over ambiguously written laws passed by Congress. The rationale was as follows: The public servants employed by the federal agencies, whether they be scientists, engineers, law enforcement officials, economists, or experts in another field, have more specialized expertise in the given matter – even more so than Supreme Court justices -- and should thus be accountable for implementing the law. But effective late last month, the High Court, believing that unelected government officials should not wield such tremendous influence, overturned that precedent, thus yielding unprecedented power to the courts to use their own discretion in interpreting laws – many of which pertain to the country’s healthcare ecosystem.

Empowering Plans: P196 – Exploring Claims Processing Models

On July 18, 2024
On this episode of the Empowering Plans Podcast, attorneys Andrew Silverio and Cindy Merrell delve into the pros and cons of the pay and chase versus pend and pay models of claims processing. They provide an in-depth discussion on the coordination of benefits and the timing of claims processing when another party may be responsible for payment.

The Impact of Provider Trends on Stop-Loss and Plans

On July 16, 2024
We progressively find ourselves on the receiving end of both medical provider and legislative efforts to secure more funding from payers. As costs increase, overpriced treatments gain popularity, and fallout from new laws continues to do more harm than good; things aren’t getting less expensive. Stop-loss carriers – responding to these trends – are circling the wagons and implementing new protective measures … but at what cost? Join The Phia Group as they discuss how to counterbalance rising prices as well as navigate these increasingly complex interactions with stop-loss.

Empowering Plans: P195 – SCOTUS Decisions: Harrington and Loper's Impact on Healthcare

On July 2, 2024
In this episode of the Empowering Plans podcast, attorneys Brady Bizarro and Corey Crigger break down two of the most significant Supreme Court cases just decided this term – the Harrington case (rejecting the largest opioid settlement in the country) and the Loper case (in which the Supreme Court ended Chevron deference). How will these cases impact the healthcare landscape? What should self-funded plans and their partners know moving forward? Tune in to hear our expert analysis.

The Supreme Court and State Bans on Gender-Affirming Care for Minors: What’s Next?

On June 26, 2024
Samantha and Brian Williams of Nashville are no different from any other parents in that they want what’s best for their 15-year-old daughter. The Williams’ situation, however, is different from that of many parents as their child identifies as transgender while residing in a state that restricts access to puberty blockers, hormone therapies, and surgeries for minors undergoing gender transitioning. Per the American Civil Liberties Union, the Williams’ daughter is one of approximately 3,000 transgender adolescents in Tennessee where, by law, medical providers cannot perform procedures that “enable a minor to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minor’s sex” or “treat purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between the minor’s sex and asserted identity.”

Direct Contracting and Occam’s Razor

On June 21, 2024
Maybe I should be, but I’m not ashamed to admit that when I first heard of Occam’s Razor, I assumed it had something to do with shaving. Whatever the context, many know Occam’s Razor as a principle of decision-making holding that “the simplest explanation is the best one”. Although the real idea is similar, William of Ockham’s logic is a bit more formulaic than that. To paraphrase, Occam’s Razor suggests that when choosing between multiple options, the best choice is the one that requires the fewest assumptions to reach. Put another way, the best option is the one that has the highest likelihood of actually being the case, by requiring the fewest assumptions to achieve it.

Empowering Plans: P194 – The Rapid Evolution of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

On June 20, 2024
Just like the development of a child, regulations evolve in their ability to walk and talk over time. Join Jen McCormick and Kelly Dempsey as they go through the evolution of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act – from passage in late 2022 to the final rules that took effect on June 18, 2024. They also discuss current court challenges where two courts have reached opposite conclusions and, of course, what this all means for self-funded health plans. It’s hard to keep up as this one went from crawling to running in fewer than two months!

Implications of the Section 1557 Final Rule

On June 17, 2024
The non-discrimination protections of Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act are not new, as the Affordable Care Act was originally enacted in 2010. However, the recent Final Rule published on May 5, 2024, provided clarification and additional requirements as they relate to strengthening civil rights protections for individuals.

2024 Benefest: Not Just Massachusetts in Focus

On June 14, 2024
Earlier this month, 2024 Benefest, hosted by the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP), took place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough. While the conference largely focused on the Massachusetts healthcare ecosystem – panel discussions of which reached the general consensus that, from an affordability and access perspective, these are incredibly challenging times due to unprecedented staffing shortages reducing providers’ daily bandwidth – there was considerable time spent examining federal healthcare developments, including how November’s election will impact employer-sponsored benefit plans.

Empowering Plans: P193 – Stopping Esophageal Cancer In Its Tracks

On June 7, 2024
In this episode of Empowering Plans, The Phia Group’s CLO – Ron Peck – sits down with experienced surgeon, Dr. Victoria Lee, to discuss a very dangerous – and costly – threat. Esophageal cancer is generally considered to be a death sentence, and historically screening options are invasive and costly, resulting in a low uptake. With the introduction of EsoGuard, however, plans can identify which participants are at risk, and have them tested quickly, non-invasively, and inexpensively. You can save lives and money… but you cannot afford to miss this episode.

The Price is Wrong, Y’all

On June 4, 2024
National spending on healthcare was approximately $74 billion in 1970. Fast-forward to 2022, the growth alone on healthcare spending from 2021 was $175 billion, topping out around $4.5 trillion total spending for that year. It’s a well-worn saying in the healthcare industry but it still rings true: “It’s the prices, stupid.” Every ounce of work and creativity that we at The Phia Group, and many of our colleagues in the industry, pour into trying to reduce healthcare costs may ultimately be for naught if the prices continue to rise indefinitely. One of the driving factors behind those ever-increasing costs: consolidation.

The Phia Group Honored as One of the 50 “Best Places to Work in Greater Louisville” by Louisville Business First.

On May 28, 2024
The Phia Group LLC is very proud to announce that it was recently named one of the 50 “Best Places to Work in Greater Louisville” by Louisville Business First. The Phia Group was one of the 50 honorees in the 2024 Best Places to Work program based strictly on employee survey results. Earning this distinction reflects a company’s unwavering commitment to fostering an inclusive and overall exceptional workplace environment. This marks the fourth consecutive year in which The Phia Group has received this prestigious honor.

HIPAA Final Rule Protects Access to Reproductive Healthcare

On May 28, 2024
On April 26, 2024, HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy (Final Rule). This modifies the HIPAA Privacy Rule to enhance the privacy safeguards around protected health information (PHI) related to reproductive health care and serves to protect access to this care in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (Dobbs) decision. This decision, overturning the constitutional right to abortion, led to renewed efforts by many states to more heavily restrict and criminalize certain types of reproductive health care, particularly abortion services.

Empowering Plans: P192 – Places, Promises, and Plan Documents

On May 23, 2024
In this installment of The Phia Group’s Empowering Plans podcast series, attorneys Jon Jablon and Cindy Merrell discuss a health plan that lost its ERISA protections because of a pre-cert snafu. Specifically, the provider was quoted benefits at U&C, but that’s not quite what the SPD said – so the court called it a promise outside the SPD, and the security blanket of federal law flew right out the window! Tune in for the full details, and advice on how to not let this happen to you!

The Cost of Cancer

On May 21, 2024
During the COVID 19 pandemic, experts anticipated that we would see a surge in undiagnosed cancers. That prediction proved to be accurate. Driven by this ongoing issue, on March 8 the Biden Administration announced updates to its “Cancer Moonshot.” Combining efforts to address navigation, research, treatment, costs and coverage – for health benefit plans, this new focus on cancer represents both an opportunity and risk. Cancer and oncology claims have always been one of the most expensive items health plans encounter. Only those who are aware of ongoing developments and plan ahead will minimize risks and maximize beneficial outcomes. Join The Phia Group as they delve into this and other new regulatory and legal developments, including the aforementioned “Moonshot,” the effect of the Dobbs decision on cancer care, specialty drugs, high cost threats – both present and forthcoming, and a very important personal message from Ron Peck.