New Year, New Legislation: Here's What to Expect in 2022

Undoubtedly, 2021 brought a significant amount of change, and the new year will be no exception. Whether it’s rapidly evolving legislation in areas like vaccine mandates or new compliance regulations, there’s sure to be plenty of changes that businesses must be prepared for as they make their way through 2022. 

Here, we’ll explore the most important healthcare and consulting–related laws and regulations you should expect in the year ahead, as well as how vital it is to have a partner on your side to keep your benefits cost-effective and attractive to employees this year and beyond.

Legislation to Watch in 2022

There are several key pieces of legislation businesses need to keep an eye on—specifically those that affect healthcare benefits and cost containment for employers. These include but aren’t limited to:

• ACA Compliance: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has made a number of important changes to group health plans, some of which go into effect in 2022. The following plan designs and penalty calculations have been changed:

• Limits on cost sharing for essential health benefits
• Coverage affordability percentages under the employer shared responsibility rules
• Maximum penalties for ACA reporting violations
• Dollar amounts for calculating employer shared responsibility penalties
• Health flexible spending account (FSA) salary contribution limits

• Compensation Disclosure: The new broker compensation disclosure rule went into effect in late 2021, and its effects will be felt throughout the new year. The new rule governs that all insurance brokers and consultants must disclose both direct and indirect compensation to their clients if they expect to receive above $1,000 while providing their services.
  
  This ultimately will help to provide clarity on broker costs for employers, making it easier to understand the full cost of their group health plan and whether or not the broker’s compensation benefits or hinders the employers’ options. However, because it is ultimately up to the plan fiduciary to enforce disclosure, employers must educate themselves on this rule to fully benefit.

• OSHA Vaccine Mandates: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has received legal challenges to its vaccination and testing emergency temporary standard (ETS), originally announced in November 2021. This ETS mandates that private employers with 100 or more employees are required to:

• Develop, implement, and enforce a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy; or
• Create a policy allowing employees to choose to get a vaccination or wear a face covering in the workplace and undergo weekly COVID-19 testing.

This legislation is rapidly evolving as litigation mounts. In the meantime, employers should continue to monitor OSHA for updates and prepare to comply in 2022.

Stay Ahead of the Curve with Arista

Legislation set to take effect this year will affect both employers and employees in major ways, and businesses must stay on top of legal proceedings to ensure compliance and a healthy, happy workforce. This, of course, can feel overwhelming, especially when executives have a company to run.

That’s where the experts at Arista can help.

As your consulting partner, we’re here to make your benefits and insurance work for you without extra hassle or increased costs. We’ll provide you with the information you need, when you need it—without commission—to help you make the best decisions moving forward. So you can focus on the day-to-day operations of your business without worry.

If you’re ready to receive a custom blueprint showing you the right solutions for your staff, contact us today. We’ll provide you with the information and benefits you need to retain top talent and reduce administrative burdens in 2022.