IPMA-HR Files Comments on Healthcare Regulations
IPMA-HR Files Comments on Healthcare Regulations
IPMA-HR joined the Employers Network for Responsible Options, Laws and Leadership (ENROLL) coalition in filing comments on the interim final rules implementing the healthcare reform laws. The coalition includes several other employer groups, including the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources.
"The healthcare reform law's most immediate changes and costs will rest on employers, which makes it appropriate for employers to ensure there are meaningful comments," said Philip A. Miscimarra, a partner with the law firm of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, which represents the ENROLL coalition.
The comments focused on the "grandfather" provisions, under which existing healthcare benefit plans are exempt from various requirements and on the annual lifetime limit and recession provisions which affect health reimbursement arrangements and part-time employee benefits.
Specifically, in areas where IPMA-HR and ENROLL proposed changes, the interim final regulations:
- Govern what healthcare plans are deemed "grandfathered"
- Make healthcare reform requirements immediately applicable to certain collectively bargained healthcare plans
- Provide for a loss of "grandfathered" status based on some relatively modest benefit plan changes
- Adopt a strict interpretation of the new law that could invalidate extremely useful standalone health reimbursement arrangements and part-time employee arrangements
The comments were filed with the Departments of Treasury, Labor and Health and Human Services. They are available on the IPMA-HR advocacy Web page.
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About IPMA-HR
IPMA-HR is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to providing resources and advocacy for public human resource professionals at all levels. Comprised of four regions and more than 40 chapters, IPMA-HR represents more than 10,000 individuals and 1,300 agencies in local, state and federal levels of government worldwide. IPMA-HR provides a focus and forum for the discussion and exchange of views and best practices among public sector human resource professionals throughout the United States and abroad. For more information about IPMA-HR, visit www.ipma-hr.org.