On March 23, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”) issued an alert to the public about fraud schemes related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
According to the alert, scammers are offering COVID-19 tests to Medicare beneficiaries in exchange for personal details, including Medicare
By Namrata Kotwani and Mark Casciari
Seyfarth Synopsis: In this post, we discuss the implications of the Fifth Circuit’s holding that a plaintiff challenging the ACA has Article III standing to bring suit when her injury amounts to an “increased regulatory burden,” even though she faces no other penalties.
The authors are well-aware of the
Seyfarth Synopsis: As we have been raising in our series of blog posts and Legal Updates, the impact of the coronavirus is far-reaching, and there are a number of concerns relating to employer-sponsored retirement plans to keep in mind as we navigate this unprecedented situation. One such concern is retirement plan-related disaster relief. Yesterday, Senate
Seyfarth Synopsis: On Wednesday afternoon, the Senate voted 90-8 to approve HR 6201 without changes. The law generally takes effect no later than 15 days after HR 6201 is signed (expected soon) and would sunset on December 31, 2020.
In somewhat of a surprise move, the Senate voted overwhelmingly to adopt HR 6201 (described here
By Sarah Touzalin and Mark Casciari
Seyfarth Synopsis: Administrators of ERISA plans frequently receive requests from participants, beneficiaries, and their representatives for plan-related documents. A recent decision from the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit supports providing only those documents that fall under a narrow reading of ERISA Section 104(b)(4). Over-production could serve
By Manleen Singh and Mark Casciari
Seyfarth Synopsis: Two new Executive Orders and a corresponding decision in the Supreme Court effectively limit how agencies can utilize guidance against private parties—the agency must rely only on guidance that is fully consistent with the governing statute.
Employee benefit lawyers, including employee benefit litigators, have historically been
By Mark Casciari and Ian Morrison
Synopsis: Two Courts of Appeal reach opposite results on ERISA preemption, thus continuing the judicial quest for a definitive meaning of ERISA preemption. Stay tuned for more such decisions, and yet more Supreme Court preemption decisions.
The federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) has been effective, as a
By: Mark Casciari and Kathleen Cahill Slaught
The hyper-partisan political warfare in the American health care industry is far from over. But another small battle in a federal district court was just resolved in favor of the Trump Administration.
In Association for Community Affiliated Plans v. U.S. Department of Treasury, No. 18-2133, Judge Richard
By Michael W. Stevens and Mark Casciari
Seyfarth synopsis: Arkansas has sought certiorari on the question of the ability of states under the ERISA preemption clause to regulate the rates charged by PBMs, and the Supreme Court has asked for the input of the Solicitor General on whether it should decide the issue..
In
By: Mark Casciari
Synopsis: A new Third Circuit decision has allowed an ERISA fee complaint to stand even though there were no specific allegations of fiduciary errors in the process of selecting investment options and fees. This development is yet another in the line of decisions that decide if the federal door to discovery will