Health Care Archives - Allen Steinberg : Allen Steinberg

Allen Steinberg

12.03.2018 05.31 CDT

The past year has seen a number of new state and local laws covering a range of benefits-related areas. However, this legislative and regulatory patchwork has a down side for employers, who may find it increasingly difficult to deal with complying with the requirements of multiple jurisdictions.

The New Federalism: Employee Benefits in the Laboratory

In the federal system, states can serve as “laboratories” for different policies. It appears that the benefits and HR community have become the guinea pigs of choice as the state “laboratories” have attempted to push back at the policies (or lack thereof) emanating from Washington, D.C.

benefits federal state

The past few years has seen a number of new state and local laws covering a range of benefits-related areas. In part, this activity can be attributed to pushback at the policies (or lack thereof) emanating from Washington, D.C. And, we can anticipate an increase in such activity in the coming years. However, state and local activism can have some unintended (and undesirable) consequences.

Allen Steinberg

08.10.2017 11.11 CDT

Employers are caught in the middle of the ongoing stalemate over the future of the ACA. Unfortunately, being caught in the middle could prove to be costly in a variety of ways.

Healthcare Wars: Employers Caught in the Middle

As the political battles over the possible repeal, replacement or repair of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) drag on, employers are likely to get caught in the middle.

Employers Healthcare Costs repeal

As the political battles over the possible repeal, replacement or repair of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) drag on, employers must come to grips with an unpleasant reality: they are likely to get the worst of all worlds for the foreseeable future.

Allen Steinberg

22.09.2017 10.04 CDT

: It is for plan administration to diverge from plan documents. It is also risky.

Do What You Say You Are Going to Do

Employers Paying the Cost for Not Following Plan Documents.

Fiduciary Litigation Plan document

Two recent cases (Acosta v. Macy’s, Inc. and Erwood v. Life Ins. Company of North America) serve as reminders of how easy it is for plan administrative practices to diverge from plan documents. The cases also illustrate the risks of allowing this to happen.

John Enyart

19.04.2017 10.53 CDT

Gaps in health literacy hinder Americans’ ability to participate in important health care decisions or to follow medical advice.

Health Literacy: What Is It and Why It Matters

Health Literacy provides us a chance to prevent being herded into bad decisions.

choices complexity Health literacy patient advocacy

Many Americans have difficulty making important decisions about their health care and understanding important medical information.

Allen Steinberg

01.04.2017 05.54 CDT

You have a number of decisions to make in buying health care. This can be a real challenge…and is not going to get any better.

Your Money…and Your Life

Your next steps with health care require careful choices and personal responsibility

consumerism Deductible Health Care Costs Health Plans HRA HSAs

Health care is complicated – not just for politicians, but for consumers. You have a number of choices to make in buying health care and those choices require understanding some complicated topics. The challenges in shopping for health care are only going to increase, regardless of who wins the political wars over health care.