Mary V. Bauman

Employers sponsoring fully insured group health plans (as opposed to self-funded group health plans) may be receiving rebates beginning in August pursuant to the medical loss ratio rules of health care reform.

The Michigan legislature has passed a new law that will impose a 1 percent assessment on all paid claims under fully insured and self-funded employer group health plans beginning in 2012.

Included in the economic stimulus legislation are provisions making important changes to the HIPAA privacy and security rules. The changes are included within the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The changes are generally effective as of Feb. 17, 2010. Key new requirements include the following: