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… disclosures of protected health information (PHI), and gives individuals certain rights, including the right to timely access to health records and the right to obtain a copy of their health records. The updated HIPAA FAQs address how covered health care providers are permitted to disclose PHI to value-based care arrangements for treatment purposes, and what health information is included in a designated record set and thus subject to the individual’s right to access such information New and Updated FAQs: New. Does the HIPAA Privacy Rule permit a covered health care provider to disclose protected health information to value …

… Affordable Care Act (ACA) Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fees no later than July 31, 2025. Fully insured plan sponsors can rely on their carriers to submit the fee on their behalf, but fully insured plan sponsors that sponsor a self-funded plan component, such as a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), will need to file and pay for the self-funded component plan. Payment amounts due in 2025 will differ based on the employer’s plan year. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides a chart showing applicable fee amounts depending on the plan’s year-end date. The fees …

… Affordable Care Act (ACA) Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fees no later than July 31, 2025. Fully insured plan sponsors can rely on their carriers to submit the fee on their behalf, but fully insured plan sponsors that sponsor a self-funded plan component, such as a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), will need to file and pay for the self-funded component plan. Payment amounts due in 2025 will differ based on the employer’s plan year. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides a chart showing applicable fee amounts depending on the plan’s year-end date. The fees …

… will continue to be a priority, despite a change in presidential administrations. IRS Issues Publication 969 The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) annually reviews and periodically updates Publication 969. This document provides general information about the taxation rules associated with health savings accounts (HSAs), medical savings accounts (MSAs), health flexible spending arrangements (FSAs) and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs). The most current version is now available on the IRS website to be used in preparing individuals’ 2024 tax returns. Updated ERISA Civil Penalties The Department of Labor (DOL) recently released updated penalty amounts for violations under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act …

… sought to resolve long-running litigation regarding religious objections to contraceptive coverage. The proposed rules would have rescinded the regulation allowing an exemption to required contraception coverage based on non-religious moral objections, while maintaining an exemption for religious objections. The proposed rules would have established a new individual contraception arrangement that individuals with coverage subject to a religious exemption could use to obtain contraception services at no cost directly from a provider or facility that furnishes contraception services, without any involvement on the part of an objecting entity. The Departments received 44,825 comments in response to the proposed …

… that submitted its GCPCA for the prior attestation year on November 30, 2023, would have an attestation period of December 1, 2023, to October 10, 2024, and an attestation year of 2024. The gag clause prohibition requirements apply to almost all employer-sponsored health plans but not to excepted benefits (e.g., stand-alone dental or vision, health flexible spending account (FSA), employee assistance program [EAP]), retiree-only plans, or account-based plans (e.g., health reimbursement arrangements [HRAs], including individual coverage HRAs [ICHRAs]). While the instructions from the agencies indicate that carriers or third party administrators (TPAs) may attest