In this episode of the Empowering Plans Podcast, Ron Peck is joined by Corey Crigger, an attorney in the Provider Relations Department. Ron and Corey discuss balance billing in the COVID world, medical tourism, and vaccine passports. What can we expect in the not so distant future? No one has a crystal ball, but Ron and Corey offer an insight on the implications of a tiered vaccine rollout that may not be uniform and business requiring proof of passport. Also, what parts of the pandemic does Corey see as a positive? Tune in to find out!

In this episode of the Empowering Plans Podcast, Brady Bizarro is joined by a new face at Phia, Mitch Hilbert. Listen in as Brady and Mitch discuss how balance billing has been on an uptick during COVID, and how patients can possibly prevent this from occurring. Is Congress doing anything? What can we expect in the near future. Find out in our latest Empowering Plans Podcast.

In this episode of Empowering Plans, Brady is joined by Attorney Andrew Silverio. They discuss current COVID-19 vaccine candidates and everything health plans and employers need to know about them. When can we expect the first vaccines to arrive? Do health plans have to cover them at full price? Can (or should) employers make this vaccine mandatory? Join us to find out.

In this episode of the Empowering Plans Podcast, Ron Peck, Brady Bizarro, and Nick Bonds reunite to discuss their developing thoughts on the presidential election results. They speculate as to what moves a Biden administration can make on health care with a potentially Republican-controlled senate, and what effects those moves could have in the self-funded industry. They also discuss California v. Texas and try to anticipate how the Supreme Court might rule on the fate of the ACA. Lastly, they talk through the exciting news of a potentially viable coronavirus vaccine.

In this episode of Empowering Plans, Ron and Brady are joined by Attorney Nick Bonds to discuss the 2020 election results. For now, it looks like we will have a new president in 2021. What will that mean for the healthcare industry? If the Senate stays in Republican control, is a public option likely? Will Obamacare be replaced? What will happen to popular issues such as prescription drug reform and surprise billing bans? We are covering all of the angles and breaking down all of the possibilities.

In this episode of Empowering Plans, Brady is joined by Attorney Nick Bonds. They break down the final presidential debate of the campaign season, focusing in on the candidates’ healthcare plans. They discuss “Bidencare” as well as what would actually happen if the Affordable Care Act is finally found unconstitutional. To cap things off, they offer election predictions – which states will decide the election? Will Democrats take over the Senate? This is one October surprise you don’t want to miss!

In this episode of the Empowering Plans podcast, Ron Peck and Brady Bizarro take you behind the scenes, avoiding the bright lights of presidential town halls and Supreme Court confirmation hearings. What is really going on? Is Medicare-for-All still a threat? Where is the Trump administration’s healthcare plan? How will a potential Justice Amy Cony Barrett rule on the Affordable Care Act case? Tune in to find out!

In this episode, Ron Peck and Brady Bizarro guide you through a chaotic week for healthcare news. What did we learn (if anything) from the first presidential debate? With COVID-19 infecting the President and much of the West Wing, what can we learn from the President’s experimental treatment? Would self-funded plans cover this treatment? What impact could all of this have on the Affordable Care Act lawsuit? Join us to find out!

In this episode of the Empowering Plans podcast, Brady is joined by Kelly Dempsey to discuss a particularly damaging impact of the pandemic that does not get much media attention: with many businesses forced to operate at reduced capacity, they still have to comply with the ACA's employer mandate. That can be very burdensome given falling revenues. What can be done by the regulators and by Congress? Find out in our latest podcast.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about an unprecedented wave of federal legislation in a short period of time specifically aimed at regulating employer-sponsored group health plan coverage. Similarly, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has followed suit and released several formal Notices aimed at extending COVID-19 relief options to cafeteria plans. In the most recent notice issued by the IRS, however, IRS Notice 2020-29, there are certain provisions that impact employer-sponsored coverage. If adopted by a cafeteria plan sponsor that also sponsors a self-funded health plan, these provisions can result in significant cost liability for the plan and create issues for stop-loss reimbursement.