List of states at risk with estimated potential BCR Add on increases estimated by US DOL The FUTA tax, which is already automatically increasing by approximately $21 per year each year in states that fail to repay federal loans, is projected to jump even higher for 2014. The size of the increase is determined by a [...]
Read UWC Comments filed on March 28, 2014 The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on February 11th that it is seeking comments on the manner in which CMS plans to expand the Workers’ Compensation Medicare Set-Aside Arrangement (WCMSA) re-review process. See : http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Coordination-of-Benefits-and-Recovery/Workers-Compensation-Medicare-Set-Aside-Arrangements/Downloads/WCMSA-Re-review-Expansion.pdf. Currently, CMS has a limited re-review process for WCMSA amounts [...]
In a letter to US Senate Leadership today the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) raised significant administrative issues with the currently proposed EUC extension bill agreed to by of 10 U.S. Senators led by Jack Reed (D-RI) and Dean Heller (R-NV) to reauthorize the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program for five months. The bill, [...]
An agreement to extend EUC has been worked out by a group of 5 Republican Senators and the Democrat majority in the Senate to provide the 60 votes needed for consideration when the Senate returns from the congressional break. The agreement was announced late today through a bi-partisan release below. See the legislative draft language attached [...]
In addition to issues related to access to workers’ compensation information by SSA, FECA Reform, and increased DBA monitoring, that I noted in my e-mail on March 7th, the budget also includes funding for an extension of TRIA in some form and increased monitoring of misclassification of workers for workers’ compensation. See the budget language below. [...]
At a point in the nation’s economic recovery in which job creation has been lackluster and many employers have been reticent to create jobs because of increased regulation, the unknown impact of the ACA, and other increased costs of doing business, President Obama has once again included in his proposed budget unemployment tax increases to be [...]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on December 27, 2013 published proposed rules with respect to the Right of Appeal for Medicare Secondary Payer Determination Relating to Liability Insurance (including Self-Insurance), No Fault Insurance, and Workers’ Compensation Laws and Plans. The proposed rules may be found at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-12-27/pdf/2013-30661.pdf#! and provide for comments to be [...]
In conjunction with the alert report for February 18th, CMS provided additional clarification that the change in Threshold is limited to physical trauma-based liability insurance settlements. (Note: This threshold does not apply to settlements for alleged ingestion, implantation or exposure cases.) The new threshold is effective immediately. This means that physical trauma-based liability settlements of $1000 [...]
The deadline to submit nominations for UI Recognition Awards for 2014 is fast approaching on March 1st. Don’t miss this opportunity to recognize your colleagues for significant contributions to Unemployment Insurance. Each year we accept nominations for awards to individuals who have had a profound impact on the Unemployment Insurance system as researchers, policy leaders and [...]
On February 18, 2014, CMS issued an alert indicating that it could set a threshold under which liability settlements would no longer need to be reported to CMS under MMSEA Section 111 and also would not require conditional payment reimbursement under the MSP. A copy of the alert can be found here. Unfortunately, the Alert raises [...]