On January 11, 2023, the COVID-19 National Public Health Emergency (PHE) was extended for 90 days. The PHE was scheduled to expire on April 11, 2023. Update: On January 31, 2023, the Biden Administration announced their intent to end the Public Health Emergency on May 11. Effects of the PHE Extension With the extension, the … More >>
Welcome to 2023! The new year brings a renewed focus on losing weight, staying healthy, and becoming financially healthier. Across the country, millions of us have set goals of increasing our health and wealth. However, inflation, supply chain issues, continued mental health challenges, and more can make tackling these goals even harder than usual. Financial … More >>
A new year is upon us, and with it, the end of many temporary, COVID-related regulatory and legislative provisions. Mercer’s U.S. Health Law and Policy team has selected the top healthcare compliance priorities for 2023. Below are highlights of 10 areas considered most likely to impact employee benefits plans. For more context and discussion, see … More >>
A Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) is part of consumer driven healthcare. While HRAs have the same basic legal guidelines as other types of reimbursement accounts, they differ in that they’re funded exclusively by the sponsoring employer. Funding amounts and eligible expenses are unique to each employer.
In today’s fast-paced world, debit cards provide an efficient payment method for consumers everywhere. Providers can automatically track purchases, and the cardholder can easily view and manage activity online. Additionally, debit cards are accepted all over the world. For Third-Party Administrators (TPAs), account-linked debit cards can help control costs through more efficient benefits administration. Many … More >>
Halloween is a favorite time of year for some, from decorations to pumpkin carving to dressing up. However, it can also be a time of pumpkin carving cuts, bumps and bruises, sprains, and even broken bones from tripping over costumes. Let’s talk about staying safe, Halloween health, and your CDH accounts. Some of the reasons … More >>
There have been five additional pandemics recorded since the Spanish Flu infected 500 million people worldwide in 1918-1920. Even so, the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus caught the world’s population off-guard. Americans in particular were unprepared for the immense impact that COVID-19 would have on their lives, their families, and their livelihoods. The pandemic caused dramatic changes to … More >>
President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law on August 16, 2022. Among other provisions, the IRA: Addresses aspects of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Requires Medicare to negotiate drug prices with manufacturers Caps the cost of prescribed insulin for Medicare recipients at $35 a month Provides an insulin safe harbor for high-deductible … More >>
DataPath’s one-of-a-kind employee education and engagement program, Captain Contributor, earns another national award. LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS (August 2, 2022) – DataPath, Inc., a leading developer of technology solutions for employer-sponsored benefits, has been named a National Health Information Awards (NHIA) winner for 2022. This is the company’s third NHIA award and 11th national award overall … More >>
Do you know how PCORI affects patients and employers? Learn more here. Two of the biggest drivers of escalating healthcare costs are the lack of knowledge about the cost of medical services and the low levels of engagement from patients in their healthcare decisions. Thanks to healthcare consumerism, this is starting to change. Healthcare consumerism … More >>
DataPath garners 10th national award for employee education and engagement program LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS (June 17, 2022) – DataPath, Inc., a leading developer of technology solutions for third party benefits administration, has been selected for a Bronze Award in the 24th annual Digital Health Awards® program. The company was honored for a comic book about Health Reimbursement … More >>
Attractive benefits plans are essential in today’s labor market. Smaller businesses in particular often struggle to find affordable group health insurance plans that comply with ACA regulations. Take a look at how an Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement, or ICHRA, can help businesses. What is an ICHRA? ICHRAs are an attractive option for both employers and their … More >>
Linking tax-advantaged benefits accounts such as FSAs and HSAs to benefits debit cards is more convenient for everyone concerned. Employees are able to make eligible purchases without having to front the expense, file a claim, and wait for a reimbursement. Employers and TPAs usually do not have to manually process a claim due to the … More >>
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), and Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) have similar acronyms, and the confusion doesn’t end there. While they all offer valuable benefits, some of those benefits overlap. If these are available, be aware of their differences and similarities to determine which is best for your needs. What are HSAs, … More >>
For many of us, our children are our greatest gifts. But caring for even the happiest and healthiest children can take a toll on parents. Add full-time work (or multiple part-time jobs) into the mix, and some days may feel like a challenge you can’t overcome. Now imagine taking care of an aging parent at … More >>