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How the End of the COVID-19 Emergency Periods Will Impact Health Plans

UPDATE – COVID-19 National Emergency Ends Sooner Than Previously Announced

On March 29, 2023, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution that would end the COVID-19 national emergency declaration that has been in place since 2020. The U.S. House of Representatives voted in February to terminate the order, and President Joe Biden had indicated that he would sign the bill despite strongly opposing it. Biden had previously announced plans to end the national emergency declaration implemented by former President Donald Trump in May 2023. This resolution will not change the end date of the public health emergency which remains May 11, 2023.

On April 10, 2023, President Biden signed a resolution ending the COVID-19 national emergency. Since the national emergency now has been determined to end on April 10, 2023, the 60-day period would end on June 9, 2023 (rather than July 10, 2023, as previously predicted). But we understand the DOL has indicated that it will continue to use the May 11 date, meaning the outbreak period would end on July 10, 2023 (60 days after May 11) as originally announced. We are hopeful the agencies will issue formal, written guidance to confirm the end of the outbreak period.

Our original post about the plans to end the national emergency and public health emergency is included below.  We also hosted a Q&A webinar on this topic on March 2.  Click here to watch the webinar recording.

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Liability Considerations for Affordable Housing Developments

Affordable housing developments are a critical component of building a strong economy, and the need for affordable housing today is urgent.  According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s 2022 Report, the U.S. is facing a shortage of 7 million affordable rental homes/units.

While this need creates challenges for our communities, it simultaneously creates significant opportunity for affordable housing developers.  Given the increasing number of projects, our team has determined the following liability considerations and risk management strategies.  Continue reading

Why Are Personal Auto Insurance Rates Increasing?

With very few exceptions, nearly every individual and family in the U.S. is facing higher-than-normal increases to their auto insurance premiums.  According to Bankrate, an independent publisher and comparison service, auto insurance in the U.S. costs an average of $2,014 per year, an increase of 13.72% between 2022 and 2023.

While individual rates will vary based on each individual’s circumstances and history, there are some general trends that are leading to these increases.  Continue reading

Employee Benefits Compliance Update

In the last week of 2022, two items of note came out of Washington, D.C., with impacts on group health plans:  Continue reading

Challenges and Opportunities within the Employee Benefits Market 2022 Mid-Market Employee Benefits Benchmarking Survey Results

With an extremely competitive labor market, it is important for employers to recognize the challenges of the current employee benefits market and understand how to take advantage of opportunities to attract and retain talented individuals. According to Microsoft’s 2022 Work Trend Index, 39% of all workers are considering changing employers this year, while 52% of Gen Z and Millennial workers are considering a change. Another trend identified by this study is that 53% of workers prioritize their health and well-being over work more than they did prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Given this landscape, it is now more crucial than ever for businesses to consider their peers’ benefits offerings and reconsider their own to maximize their attractiveness as an employer. By utilizing benchmarking data, companies can make informed decisions about which employer-sponsored healthcare benefits strategy best aligns with their goals and gives employees the healthcare security and stability they seek.  Continue reading