Health & Safety

Question 1

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) (2009)

Answer 1

20+ Employees
Infrastructure projects to stimulate economy
- Provision that provided partial payment of COBRA premiums for people who still had not found permanent job placement following 2007 economic recession.
- Modified HIPAA privacy rules to apply to any individual or organization that transmit protected medical data, store that data, process that dat, or in any other way have contact with that private medical information. All parties are responsible for proper handling and compliance with HIPAA.

Question 2

The Consolidated Ominbus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) (1986)

Answer 2

20+ Employees

• Requires employers with group health insurance programs to offer terminating employees the opportunity to continue their health plan coverage after they are no longer on the payroll or no longer qualify for benefits coverage because of change in employement status, i.e. reduction in hours.
• cost for employee/former employee is at group rate. No contribution from employer. Employer can add small admin. charge (2% max).
• Duration allowed to remain on COBRA varies by individual.

Question 3

Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA) (1996)

Answer 3

50+ Employees
- Requires all health insurance issuers and group health plans to adopt the same annual and lifetime dollar limits for mental health benefits as for other medical benefits

Question 4

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) (2008)

Answer 4

50+ Employees

• Amendment to Mental Health Parity Act of 1996.
• Requires that plans that offer medical/surgical benefits and mental health and/or substance abuse treatment benefits provide parity between both types of benefits. All out of pocket expense amounts and treatment frequencies must be the same for both mental and physical medical problems.

Question 5

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) (2010)

Answer 5

50+ Employees

• Obamacare: Created health insurance trading centers called American Health Benefit Exchanges and Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP)
• Fewer than 100 employees - can purchase insurance through these exchanges
• Employers with 50+ Employees must provide minimum health coverage
• Tax credits for those with less than 50 employees that do provide health insurance

Question 6

Executive Order 13706: Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors (2015)

Answer 6

50+ Employees

• Federal contractors are directed to provide up to 56 hours of paid sick leave annually.
• Accrues at the rate of an hour for every 30 hours worked.
• May be carried over from year to year.