Leading With the Marathon Mindset

Aside from being able to run long, grueling distances, marathon runners have something else that makes them extraordinary—to keep going, running, and training despite the aches, pains, and exhaustion they may feel along the way. They have the insight to know when to rest and heal, and when to push themselves to go farther. While they celebrate the small wins, they always keep their eye on the goal, and return again and again until they reach it.

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Webinar: Compliance Obligations for Group Health Plans

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Jen Berman HeadshotJoin Q4intelligence and Jennifer Berman of MZQ Consulting for a webinar on August 28, 2023, with an overview of the latest updates in employee benefits!

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Newly Proposed Mental Health Parity Regulations Introduced

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On Tuesday, July 25, the federal Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury (“the Departments”) introduced a much-anticipated update to current regulations dealing with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA).

These newly proposed regulations continue to shine a bright light on the need for parity between medical/surgical (M/S) and mental health/substance use disorder (MH/SUD) benefits in all non-quantitative treatment limitations (NQTLs).

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (CAA) established the requirement that plans initiate and maintain an NQTL analysis. These proposed regulations seek to satisfy issuers, plan sponsors, third-party administrators, and other benefits professionals who have been patiently awaiting additional direction and guidance. Read more

Work-Life Balance? Try Work-Life Integration

Work-life balance has long been recognized as the holy grail of achieving harmony between our personal and professional lives. However, this concept has evolved into work-life integration, a fresh approach that allows people to seamlessly blend work and personal life. 

Employers who embrace work-life integration can position themselves at the forefront of employee retention, talent attraction, and overall satisfaction, paving the way for a successful and high-performing company.

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New Guidance Issued on Surprise Billing, Out-of-Pocket Limits, and Facility Fees

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Late last week, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury (the Departments) published a set of FAQs that clarify how certain surprise billing protections interact with the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) maximum out-of-pocket limit (OOP) requirements. The FAQs also clarify whether facility fees are subject to specific transparency in coverage requirements.

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