Rob Report - May

Hi Friends,

I think we finally made it through an unusually wet beginning of the year.  For those keeping track we’ve had more rain since January 1st than my hometown of Seattle!

Compliance Update

▪  California has recently enacted SB 553, mandating that nearly all employers in California develop and implement a comprehensive Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) by July 1, 2024.

Please join IMA Risk Control, in partnership with Fisher Phillips, on May 10th from 10 – 11 Pacific as we explore the requirements of the WVPP. Our webinar will dive into the specifics of the Cal OSHA regulation as it currently stands and the key components that must be included in the Plan

Presenters:

-Stefanie Nobriga, CAE, CEAS II - Director of Ergonomics/Risk Control Leader, IMA

-Hannah Sweiss - Partner, Fisher & Phillips LLP

-Todd Scherwin - Regional Managing Partner, Fisher & Phillips LLP 

▪  The Medicare Part D drug benefit has undergone benefit enhancements due to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 that, amongst other things, aimed to lower prescription drugs costs for people with Medicare.  Here is how your plan is affected.

▪  New Overtime Rule Raises Salary Level in Two Phases

Here is an article from Sheppard Mullin explaining how the DOL rules compare to CA.

▪  The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Notice has an updated model notice as of January 31, 2024. The CHIP notice must be provided annually to eligible employees, and IMA recommends doing this during Open Enrollment.

▪  The DOL released an updated version of the Marketplace Exchange Notice to be distributed to new hires.

▪  RxDC Reports are due June 1, 2024 for self-funded group health plans. Fully insured plans may be required to submit data to their carrier by a carrier-assigned due date to satisfy the requirements.

 Trending Topics

▪  An intentional culture can drive outcomes -- if leaders take the following ideas to heart:  A new article with Gallup data suggest that most organizations have yet to tap into the power of their culture. But the few that make culture central to business success set themselves apart from the competition.

▪  High unemployment in CA

California now posting the highest unemployment rate in the nation, this report from Center for Jobs focuses specifically on unemployment data to provide crucial insights into the state of employment in California.

▪  How the virtual care market is shaking out in 2024 as Walmart, Optum exit the telehealth business.  This article from Fierce Healthcare discusses how experts say  virtual care models need to offer coordinated care that can integrate with brick-and-mortar providers as part of a hybrid model to survive in the telehealth market.

Network Negotiations

▪  Cigna and Providence Health Southern California continue negotiations on their contract which has been extended with an agreement is expected soon.  We'll continue to watch this and keep you updated.

▪  Blue Shield and Providence St. Joeseph are working to negotiate their contract. Providence St. Joseph Health System has rescinded their termination notice to Blue Shield/Promise.  This includes both the facilities and HMO provider groups.  While they do not have a finalized new contract, the threat of a 6/1 termination is off the table.  As new developments occur regarding the negotiations, we will keep you informed.

▪  Anthem and UC Health System Anthem Blue Cross and the University of California Health System have successfully reached agreement on a new multi-year contract.

SoCal Events

▪  May 20-22, PIHRA's CAHR Conference

-Hosted by PIHRA

-Anaheim – Hilton & Streaming Online (Member Early-bird $999, Non-Member $1149)

▪  5/21, 7:00 am – 10:00 am:  Stress Alchemy:  Transforming Negative Pressure into Positive Energy 

-NHRA Orange County

-Irvine – ($59 Member/$79 Non-Member)

▪  May 23, 10:00 am – 10:30 am:  Cammayo’s Compliance Talk:  Ask Michelle

-Michelle will answer questions submitted from you and your peers and cover the latest HR and Benefits updates.

-Virtual - (no cost)

▪  June 11, 12:00 am – 1:00 pm:  Creating an Equitable Compensation System

-Leverage to Lead

-Virtual, (no cost)

▪  June 25, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm:  Discussing HR Trends, Solutions, and Stress Management

-EXPERT EFFECT

-Rancho Cucamonga, Victoria Gardens Cultural Center (no cost)

AI Bytes

▪  Randy Travis, a country singer who lost his voice to a 2013 stroke, debuted a new song titled “Where That Came From” using an AI trained on 42 of his recordings. (Listen on Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube).

Have a great week!

Rob