CA Bereavement Leave as of January 2023

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Starting Jan 1, 2023, employers with five or more employees must abide by new bereavement leave provisions. This is due to an amendment that was made to California Family Rights Act (CFRA) on September 29, 2022. This modification included the implementation of Assembly Bill No. 1949 (AB-1949). Under this bill, eligible employees may take up to five days of bereavement leave as a result of the death of a family member.

 

Overview

The following information outlines the implications of a bereavement leave:

  • A leave must be completed within three months of the dated death
  • Leave may be unpaid however, employees are entitled to use other leave balances, such as available sick leave
  • Days taken for leave are not required to be taken consecutively
  • The leave must be taken in accordance with any current leave policy, with the assurance that the employee is granted no less than five days of bereavement leave.
  • An employee must provide documentation of the death of a family member within 30 days of the first leave if requested by an employer.
  • A covered employer is required to maintain confidentiality regarding the employee’s request and documentation for bereavement leave.

 

This Bereavement Leave Update is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal or a recommendation of any kind. While we have attempted to provide current, accurate, and clearly expressed information, this information is provided “as is,” and MNJ Insurance Solutions makes no representations or warranties regarding its accuracy and completeness.

The Basics Employers Need to Know About CAA Prescription Drug Reporting

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Rx reporting is a federal mandate that requires insurance companies and group health plans to provide a report of prescription drug data to the government. Logistics regarding the act can be found under Section 204 (of Title II, Division BB) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA).

 

CAA Submission Requirements

The following list includes the information that the CAA requires insurance companies and employer-based health plans to submit:

  • Prescription drugs that are the most frequently prescribed
  • Prescription drugs that account for the most spending
  • Spending reports on prescription drugs and healthcare services
  • Prescription drug rebates from drug manufacturers
  • Premiums and cost-sharing that patients pay

 

            What does the government do with this information?

The federal government wants to use the information and data to examine the prescription drug industry with the potential to make legislative or regulatory changes. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS.gov) expresses that this information will be helpful to:

  • Identify the central causes of increases in prescription drug and healthcare spending
  • Understand how prescription drug rebates impact premiums and out-of-pocket costs
  • Promote transparency in prescription drug pricing

 

Important information and deadlines

This is an annual reporting requirement; plans an issuers will generally submit these reports in June each year, reporting information for the prior calendar year. Please note that it is required to comply with this mandate regardless if your company is fully insured or self-funded. The following deadlines should be noted:

 

Calendar Year to Report Deadline
2022 June 1, 2023
Subsequent calendar years June 1st of each year

 

For more information on this topic, please contact MNJ Insurance Solutions.

 

This Rx reporting summary is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal or a recommendation of any kind. While we have attempted to provide current, accurate, and clearly expressed information, this information is provided “as is,” and MNJ Insurance Solutions makes no representations or warranties regarding its accuracy and completeness.

 

Resources

CMS.gov provides the following resource:

  • On Nov. 23, 2021, the Departments published an interim final ruleregarding the requirement to report pharmacy and drug costs.
  • Transparency in coverage FAQswere released on Aug. 20, 2021.
  • An FAQabout the submission grace period and reporting flexibilities for 2020 and 2021 data was released on Dec. 23, 2022.
  • More information, including RxDC reporting instructions, is available through the HHS’ RxDC website.
  • Prescription Drug Data Collection (RxDC) Reporting Instructions: https://regtap.cms.gov/reg_librarye.php?i=3860