Sarah Raaii
Subscribe to Sarah Raaii's PostsSarah G. Raaii focuses her practice on employee benefits and matters related to health care reform, data privacy and HIPAA compliance, executive compensation, and health and welfare, cafeteria, 401(k), 403(b) and pension plans. Read Sarah Raaii's full bio.
Unpacking the Over-the-Counter Contraception Proposed Rule
By Sarah Raaii and Maddie News on Nov 14, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
Sarah Raaii recently joined McDermott+’s Maddie News on the Health Policy Breakroom Podcast to discuss proposed rules issued by the Biden administration that require health plans to cover certain over-the-counter services, including contraception items. Access the podcast episode here.
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Election 2024: Reproductive Rights in the US
By Sarah Raaii on Oct 31, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
With the US election less than one week away, what are the legal implications of a Harris-Walz administration versus a Trump-Vance administration on reproductive rights? In this Q&A, Sarah Raaii explores how the election’s outcome could impact how plan sponsors and employers address reproductive care, including fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization. Read the Q&A...
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Election 2024: Gender-Affirming Care in the US
By Gregory Fosheim, Sarah Raaii and Alden Bianchi on Oct 29, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans, Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act
With the US election one week away, what are the legal implications of a Harris-Walz administration versus a Trump-Vance administration regarding gender-affirming care? In this Q&A, Greg Fosheim, Sarah Raaii, and Alden Bianchi discuss how the election’s outcome could affect clients in the employee benefits and healthcare spaces. Read the Q&A here.
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The Case for the Welfare Plan Fiduciary Committee
By Alden Bianchi, Jacob Mattinson and Sarah Raaii on Oct 22, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Fiduciary and Investment Issues, Health and Welfare Plans
Employee Retirement Income Security Act class action lawsuits filed earlier this year against the group health plans of two large US employers underscore the importance of implementing formal welfare benefit plan governance structures that include fiduciary committees comparable to the governance structures employer sponsors of retirement plans routinely adopt. This recent article, published by the...
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2024 Final Mental Health Parity Regulations: First Impressions
By Alden Bianchi, Jacob Mattinson and Sarah Raaii on Oct 10, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans, Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act
Alden Bianchi, Jake Mattinson, and Sarah Raaii recently authored an article in ALM Benefits Pro commenting on the final Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) regulations issued last month by the Biden administration. While some of the more objectionable features of the proposed MHPAEA regulations were not finalized, they argue that their basic...
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Webinar Replay: Unpacking the Final Mental Health Parity Regulations
By Alden Bianchi, Jacob Mattinson and Sarah Raaii on Oct 8, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans, Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act
During a recent webinar, Alden Bianchi, Jake Mattinson, and Sarah Raaii provided a comprehensive overview of the new MHPAEA rules.
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Plan Sponsors, Insurers, and the Landmark Mental Health Parity Final Rule
By Alden Bianchi, Jacob Mattinson and Sarah Raaii on Sep 19, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans, Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act
The US Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services recently issued much-anticipated final regulations under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). The newly issued final regulations update the 2013 final regulations principally to reflect the changes to MHPAEA enacted by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, which requires plans and...
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The Case for the Welfare Plan Fiduciary Committee
By Alden Bianchi, Jacob Mattinson and Sarah Raaii on Aug 13, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
Recent lawsuits filed against the group health plans of two large US employers underscore the importance of implementing formal welfare benefit plan governance structures that include fiduciary committees comparable to the governance structures employer sponsors of retirement plans routinely adopt. Establishing such committees can help employers reduce litigation risk and ensure compliance with Employee Retirement Income...
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From ERISA to CAA: How Have Employers’ Fiduciary Responsibilities Changed Over Time?
By Sarah Raaii and Alden Bianchi on Jul 23, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
Health plan fiduciary issues have taken on increased urgency following a new wave of Employee Retirement Income Security Act class action lawsuits filed by plaintiffs’ firms. Sarah Raaii and Alden Bianchi recently joined the Moving to Value Alliance, a healthcare nonprofit, for a podcast episode focused on how group health plan sponsors and third-party service...
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HHS Final Section 1557 Nondiscrimination Regulations: Gender-Affirming Care and the Role of Carriers Under ASO Arrangements
By Sarah Raaii, Alden Bianchi and Scott Kenkel on Jun 5, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
On April 26, 2024, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a final rule (press release, fact sheet, FAQs) reinterpreting Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, or any combination thereof, in a health program or activity, any part of which...
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