Kristen O'Brien
Subscribe to Kristen O'Brien's PostsKristen O’Brien is an accomplished healthcare executive with a deep understanding of regulatory advocacy and healthcare policy efforts. Kristen offers a strong background and a keen eye for solutions to barriers and challenges impacting healthcare clients. With more than 10 years of experience, her work focuses on implementing new laws through the rulemaking process, as well as working with relevant agency officials to develop and improve agency guidance. Read Kristen O’Brien's full bio.
No Surprises Act Implementation Under the Trump Administration
By Jeffrey Davis and Kristen O'Brien on Jan 2, 2025
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
The No Surprises Act, a law that ended the practice of “balance billing” by certain out-of-network providers, was enacted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 on December 27, 2020. While the law was passed during President Trump’s first term in office, the Biden administration has been fully responsible for its implementation to...
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White House Launches ‘Time Is Money’ Initiative
By Debra Curtis, Kristen O'Brien, Julia Grabo and Erica Stocker on Sep 17, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
On August 12, 2024, the Biden administration launched a new “Time Is Money” initiative, seeking to crack down on time-consuming and burdensome business processes. The initiative includes a requirement for federal employee health plans to provide an online opportunity to submit claims. It also features an accompanying letter to health insurance CEOs from the heads...
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McDermott+ Check-Up: July 2024
By Debra Curtis, Kristen O'Brien, Julia Grabo, Priya Rathakrishnan and Erica Stocker on Jul 31, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
The McDermott+ Check-Up features updates on healthcare legislative and regulatory activities that could impact health insurers, group health plan sponsors, healthcare providers and others in the health benefits industry. This post covers a recent Federal Trade Commission report on anticompetitive behaviors by pharmacy benefit managers as well as recent Senate hearings on medical debt and...
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2024 Chart of Healthcare Regulations
By Kristen O'Brien, Rachel Stauffer, Katie Waldo and Jeffrey Davis on Apr 24, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
During this election year, McDermottPlus is actively monitoring annual regulations that federal agencies are expected to release, as well as “ad hoc” regulations that will be released at the discretion of federal agencies. This chart displays health-related regulations that may be issued this year, organized by federal agency and date of potential release. Access the...
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CMS Releases CY 2025 Advance Notice for Medicare Advantage and Part D
By Emily Curran and Kristen O'Brien on Mar 21, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
On January 31, 2024, the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Advance Notice of Methodological Changes for Calendar Year (CY) 2025 for Medicare Advantage (MA) Capitation Rates and Part C and D Payment Policies. CMS also released a press release and fact sheet. The advance notice is released on an annual basis and includes proposed updates...
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What Does Landmark AI Executive Order Mean for Healthcare?
By Kristen O'Brien and Rachel Stauffer on Dec 6, 2023
Posted In Digital Health, Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
On October 30, 2023, the Biden administration released a long-awaited Executive Order (EO) on the “Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence.” The EO acknowledges the transformative potential of AI while highlighting many known risks of AI tools and systems. It directs a broad range of actions around new standards for AI...
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An Update on the No Surprises Act
By Jeffrey Davis, Kristen O'Brien and Emily Curran on Sep 28, 2023
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
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Texas District Court Overturns Portions of the IDR Process
By Debra Curtis, Kristen O'Brien, Priya Rathakrishnan and Erica Stocker on Sep 14, 2023
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
On August 3, 2023, the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas ruled on the implementation of the No Surprises Act in Texas Medical Association, et al. v. US Department of Health and Human Services, et al. (TMA IV). In TMA IV, the plaintiffs challenged two things: The increased administrative fee to participate...
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Congress Advances Four Bipartisan Healthcare Bills
By Debra Curtis, Kristen O'Brien, Priya Rathakrishnan and Erica Stocker on Jul 24, 2023
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
The US House and Senate returned from recess, beginning a three-week sprint toward the August break. The bipartisan healthcare legislation on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and healthcare transparency is moving through both the House and Senate. The House Education and the Workforce Committee held a markup of a bipartisan healthcare package of four bills. The...
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Federal Government to Wind Down Vaccination Mandates
By Sandra M. DiVarco, Kristen O'Brien and Rachel Stauffer on May 9, 2023
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
The Biden administration has announced that the federal government will wind down its remaining COVID-19 vaccination mandates (including those for federal workers, contractors and international air travelers) effective May 11, 2023. This action coincides with the conclusion of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Additionally, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will...
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