SEARCH

Quick Facts: Federal law imposes an annual fee on health plans to help fund the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). The fees are calculated using the average number of lives covered under the policy or plan, and the applicable dollar amount for that policy or plan year. For insured health plans, the carrier or HMO is responsible for reporting and paying the fee. Employers that sponsor a self-insured health plan must pay the fee for that plan. Payers – insurers or employers – use IRS Form 720 to report and remit the fee. PCORI fees were initially scheduled to sunset …

… such as workplace safety activities. Therefore, health information collected by an employer for reasons unrelated to its group health plan – such as health screening results to return to work – is not PHI and is not subject to HIPAA. However, other federal and state laws may apply to using and disclosing employee medical information, and employers should carefully safeguard such information as a best practice. Many employers are currently reopening, or preparing to reopen, worksite locations that were forced to close due to COVID-19 pandemic. With the return to work, many employers are implementing new safety protocols to prevent the …