Federal Health & Welfare Updates

Feb 12, 2025

DOL Opinion Letter Addresses Interaction of FMLA and State Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) and Local Paid Leave

The DOL issued an opinion letter clarifying the “substitution” provision under the FMLA when it intersects with a state paid family and medical leave (PFML) program or local paid leave (e.g., paid sick leave) law. The term “substitute” means that either the employer or employee, on their own, can decide to have employer-provided paid leave (e.g., PTO, sick leave, vacation) run concurrently with the unpaid FMLA leave.

Feb 12, 2025

Court Blocks Enforcement of HIPAA Reproductive Privacy Rule Against Provider

A federal court in the Northern District of Texas issued a preliminary injunction against HHS in a case concerning the 2024 HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Healthcare Privacy, preventing that agency from enforcing that rule against the plaintiffs pending the resolution of litigation.

Jan 29, 2025

Court Dismisses ERISA Fiduciary Breach Claims Against J&J

The court found that the plaintiff participant had failed to establish standing as required under Article III of the US Constitution. Generally, the court’s ruling and opinion are good news for plan sponsors, and highlight the many challenges plaintiffs will face in establishing Article III standing to pursue similar fiduciary breach claims.

Jan 29, 2025

Departments Release MHPAEA 2024 Report to Congress

The 2024 Report highlights ongoing efforts of the departments to enforce protections of MHPAEA and, more specifically, the CAA 2021 nonquantitative treatment limitation (NQTL) comparative analyses requirements.

Jan 29, 2025

DOL and CMS Issue MHPAEA Enforcement Fact Sheet

The DOL and CMS recently released the 2023 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) Enforcement Fact Sheet that summarizes MHPAEA enforcement efforts for fiscal year 2023.

Jan 15, 2025

DOL Announces 2025 Adjustments to ERISA Penalties

The annual adjustments relate to a wide range of compliance issues and are based on the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) from October of the preceding year.

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PPI Benefit Solutions does not provide legal or tax advice. Compliance, regulatory and related content is for general informational purposes and is not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. You should consult an attorney or tax professional regarding the application or potential implications of laws, regulations or policies to your specific circumstances.

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