The Inflation Reduction Act's Impact on Medicare Advantage Premiums The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was enacted in August 2022 to bring substantial reforms aimed at controlling inflation, boosting clean energy, and reducing healthcare costs. Among its notable healthcare provisions are:Prescr…Continued
Pressure Ratchets Up Against Pharmacy Benefit ManagersIf you think the price of your prescription drugs has increased, you’re not alone. While some of this can be attributed to inflation and other external factors, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are increasingly blamed. The criticism lies in the …Continued
Health savings accounts (HSAs), health flexible spending accounts (FSAs), and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) may provide tax-free reimbursements of certain over-the-counter (OTC) items. OTC items are generally available to consumers without a prescription.To be reimbursable, an OTC item m…Continued
From its all-time high of 5,667 on July 16th, the S&P 500 declined 8.5% to 5,186 on August 5th. Market volatility measures rose, and high-profile stocks such as Microsoft and NVIDIA declined by more than the average. Several catalysts have been cited: a general sense of a weakening US economy, …Continued
In 1984, the Supreme Court established the doctrine known as “Chevron deference” when they ruled that the courts should defer to Federal agency interpretations of ambiguous U.S. laws.[1] Last week, the Supreme Court overturned this long-standing legal precedent, turning the page to a new chapter in…Continued
Variable Annuity Plans have gained increasing popularity among the sponsors of Defined Benefit plans in recent years. The appeal is clear: the plans hold the promise of lifetime benefit guarantees for retirees but without the risk of escalating contribution requirements for sponsors due to the vola…Continued
