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Welcome back to the Bar! This month, Kerri and Ed break down the new guidance from the Department of Labor around how what HIPAA says about tobacco surcharges and reasonable alternative standards. What do employer group health plans need to know about how these programs work? And in Last Call, Kerri talks about every bar owner’s nightmare – stolen beer.   DISCLAIMER: The Bar on Healthcare is an Aon podcast. Aon is not engaged in the practice of law. The information in this podcast is not intended as and should not be considered legal advice. Please consult your own legal counsel to obtain such advice.

Welcome back to the Bar! As the summer winds down, we tackle the new proposed rules from the Department of Labor on electronic disclosures required under ERISA. Employers have been asking for an expansion of the safe harbor that allows electronic distribution of certain required documents and information. And in Last Call, Ed celebrates the dog days of summer by hanging 20 with the pups of the World Dog Surfing Championships.  DISCLAIMER: The Bar on Healthcare is an Aon podcast. Aon is not engaged in the practice of law. The information in this podcast is not intended as and should not be considered legal advice. Please consult your own legal counsel to obtain such advice.

It’s summertime at the Bar! We’re talking about privacy, specifically HIPAA. We’ve seen some new enforcement actions from the Office of Civil Rights at the department of Health and Human Services. What do these new enforcement actions mean? What does your company need to know? Kerri and Ed are here to break down the risks, and the cross-functional teamwork that might be needed to navigate the risks. And in Last Call, Kerri pays tribute to a friend we’ve just reluctantly said goodbye to…the World Cup.    DISCLAIMER: The Bar on Healthcare is an Aon podcast. Aon is not engaged in the practice of law. The information in this podcast is not intended as and should not be considered legal advice. Please consult your own legal counsel to obtain such advice.

Here's the New York Times article Karen mentioned: A $440,000 Breast Reduction: How Doctors Cashed In on the No Surprises Act and Arbitration - The New York Times And here's an article from us last year about hidden medical costs: As Health Spend Soars, Employers Should Beware of Hidden Cost Threats   DISCLAIMER: The Bar on Healthcare is an Aon podcast. Aon is not engaged in the practice of law. The information in this podcast is not intended as and should not be considered legal advice. Please consult your own legal counsel to obtain such advice.

Welcome back to the Bar! The administration has rolled out a proposed new regulation on standalone fertility benefits. Kerri and Ed break down what this new proposal does — and doesn’t — mean. How will these new benefits differ from current family-building benefits? And what should employers keep in mind when considering offering these benefits. And in Last Call, Kerri has recommendations for your TV viewing pleasure. DISCLAIMER: The Bar on Healthcare is an Aon podcast. Aon is not engaged in the practice of law. The information in this podcast is not intended as and should not be considered legal advice. Please consult your own legal counsel to obtain such advice.

Welcome back to the Bar! A handful of court cases both new and old are on the menu this month. Ed and Kerri break down the latest developments in the fiduciary lawsuits brought against employers’ medical and prescription drug benefit plans. Also, Kerri discusses the news that the AMA has updated its CPT codes around pregnancy and birth. And in Last Call, Ed salutes his Illinois Fighting Illini and Kerri’s UConn men’s basketball team. DISCLAIMER: The Bar on Healthcare is an Aon podcast. Aon is not engaged in the practice of law. The information in this podcast is not intended as and should not be considered legal advice. Please consult your own legal counsel to obtain such advice.

Welcome back to the Bar! Congress and the Department of Labor were at it again, with the latter releasing new proposed regulations on transparency for PBMs and the former passing legislation on similar topics a few days later. Kerri and Ed discuss what’s in the law, what’s in the regulations, and what comes next. And in Last Call, Kerri celebrates last weekend's Academy Awards with an amazing stat about one of this year’s nominees. DISCLAIMER: The Bar on Healthcare is an Aon podcast. Aon is not engaged in the practice of law. The information in this podcast is not intended as and should not be considered legal advice. Please consult your own legal counsel to obtain such advice.

Happy New Year from the Bar! Usually, we’re pouring your favorite beverage, but now we’re also poring over new guidance around provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill related to telehealth in high-deductible health plans, direct primary care arrangements, and onsite clinics. We also have an update on some fiduciary litigation. And in Last Call, Ed channels his inner Frodo and salutes the 25th anniversary of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. DISCLAIMER: The Bar on Healthcare is an Aon podcast. Aon is not engaged in the practice of law. The information in this podcast is not intended as and should not be considered legal advice. Please consult your own legal counsel to obtain such advice.

The Bar on Healthcare –The Cost of Drugs Welcome back to the Bar! This month, Kerri and Ed discuss the administration’s latest efforts to lower prescription drug price, including transparency efforts, “most favored nation” pricing, and direct-to-consumer programs. Also, a new GLP-1 program might affect employer group health plans, but how? And in Last Call, Kerri salutes the winners of the first true World Series in three decades. DISCLAIMER: The Bar on Healthcare is an Aon podcast. Aon is not engaged in the practice of law. The information in this podcast is not intended as and should not be considered legal advice. Please consult your own legal counsel to obtain such advice.

Welcome back to the Bar! Summer Break is over, and there’s a lot to discuss. But first, welcome back to one of the original proprietors of the Bar, Kerri Willis, who joins Ed Doherty to discuss the Independent Dispute Resolution process that was created as part of the No Surprises Act. The process has created some surprising outcomes that may be interesting to those who run employer group health plans. And in Last Call, Ed asks “What’s your sign…no, what’s your sign really?” DISCLAIMER: The Bar on Healthcare is an Aon podcast. Aon is not engaged in the practice of law. The information in this podcast is not intended as and should not be considered legal advice. Please consult your own legal counsel to obtain such advice.

It’s summertime at the Bar! Ed is joined this month by co-host Abbey Hendricks to discuss all the particulars of the Reconciliation bill and its effect on employee benefits, including changes to Medicaid, Health Savings Accounts, paid family and medical leave, student loans and more. Then at Last Call, Ed celebrates a very special 60th birthday (or two). DISCLAIMER: The Bar on Healthcare is an Aon podcast. Aon is not engaged in the practice of law. The information in this podcast is not intended as and should not be considered legal advice. Please consult your own legal counsel to obtain such advice.

Welcome back to the Bar! This month, Ed and JD continue to discuss the budget reconciliation bill, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The guys look into their crystal ball to see what they think might be in or out as the final bill begins to take shape. And in Last Call, JD bids us all a fond farewell as he rides off into the sunset. From all of us at the Bar, we say “Don’t cry because it’s over…laugh because we stuck someone else with the bar tab.” Good luck, JD, we’ll miss you! DISCLAIMER: The Bar on Healthcare is an Aon podcast. Aon is not engaged in the practice of law. The information in this podcast is not intended as and should not be considered legal advice. Please consult your own legal counsel to obtain such advice.

Welcome back to the Bar! This month, JD and Ed break down the flurry of activity coming from Washington DC on both the legislative and executive front. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” has provisions that employer group health plans will find interesting, and two executive orders pertaining to prescription medication pricing have been issued. And in Last Call, JD remembers everyone’s favorite bar patron, accountant and one-liner machine George Wendt. DISCLAIMER: The Bar on Healthcare is an Aon podcast. Aon is not engaged in the practice of law. The information in this podcast is not intended as and should not be considered legal advice. Please consult your own legal counsel to obtain such advice.

Welcome back to The Bar, under (partial) new management! In this month’s episode, we welcome our new co-host, Ed Doherty, who is mixing up a happy hour’s worth of employer group health plan analysis. JD and Ed discuss the basics of two court cases, Lewandowski v Johnson and Johnson and Stern v JP Morgan Chase and Co. that have to do with a group health plans and their fiduciary duty to their members. Ed breaks down why one case was tossed out and the other remains. And in Last Call, JD challenges a rule that many of us have followed for a long time. DISCLAIMER: The Bar on Healthcare is an Aon podcast. Aon is not engaged in the practice of law. The information in this podcast is not intended as and should not be considered legal advice. Please consult your own legal counsel to obtain such advice.

It’s nearly Spring at the Bar! The Bar is a smoke-free environment, but JD and Kerri are keeping an eye on a lawsuit involving tobacco surcharges that employer group health plans charge, and the rules they have to follow. Then we have an update on some of the new regulations coming from the Trump administration about open enrollment on the ACA exchanges. And in a Last Call we never wanted to hear, JD bids a fond farewell to Kerri. Best of luck Kerri, come back and visit The Bar any time! DISCLAIMER: The Bar on Healthcare is an Aon podcast. Aon is not engaged in the practice of law. The information in this podcast is not intended as and should not be considered legal advice. Please consult your own legal counsel to obtain such advice.