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Welcome to the Snell & Wilmer Benefits Blog. We will be posting about current employee benefits and executive compensation topics and issues. We invite you to contact the authors with your thoughts or questions.Blog Contributors
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Why Isn’t My “Free” Preventive Health Care Free?
In my opinion, one of the best changes made by the Affordable Care Act is the mandate that requires health plans to provide certain specified preventive services without imposing any cost sharing. This is sometimes referred to as “free” preventive care. As a result of this mandate, deductibles, copays, coinsurance, and other cost sharing may not be imposed on the specified preventive services if they are provided by an in-network provider.
The thing that is so great about free preventive care is that it results in better health outcomes for employees and their families, while, at the same time, saving employers from paying larger health claims when illnesses are not diagnosed early. Read More ›
Posted in Employee Benefits, Health & Welfare Plans, Health Care Reform
| Tagged ACA, employers, free, free preventive care, high deductible health plan, in network, out of network, preventive care, provider
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Dealing with Long-Winded Out-of-Network Provider Nuisance Letters
Over the past couple years, more and more of my clients with self-funded plans have received letters from out-of-network providers appealing denied claims. The letters are usually 20 to 30 pages long, not very specific, and make various accusations against the plan and its fiduciaries.
Most of the letters follow a standard approach. They start by alleging breaches of fiduciary duty, they request all sorts of plan documents, and they request additional appeals to which the participant may or may not be entitled. The biggest problem is that these letters are never very specific in exactly what they want. Instead, they make vague accusations, and hope some or all will stick. Read More ›
Posted in Employee Benefits, Health & Welfare Plans
| Tagged anti-assignment, due diligence, ERISA, fiduciary, fiduciary duty, out of network, out of network provider, provider
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