EBSA to Host Webinars on Health Plan Compliance, Retirement Planning

The Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration is hosting a series of webinars this week and next: two that will cover compliance with health benefits laws for employers, and one that will cover retirement planning for pre-retirees.

Federal regulators will host a two-part webinar on September 4 and 5 to discuss compliance with federal laws regarding health plans. The free webinars are targeted at small and midsize employers and plan service providers.

Third-party administrators and carriers are also welcome to attend the webinars, which are organized by the DOL’s Health Benefits Campaign, and ask questions about new laws and guidance regarding health plans.

The webinars will discuss topics including the Affordable Care Act market reforms, mental health and substance use disorder parity, transparency in coverage, the No Surprises Act, prescription drug reporting, the prohibition on gag clauses, and compliance tips and tools, according to the announcement.

Registration for Part 1 of the webinar on September 4 can be found here, and registration for Part 2 on September 5 can be found here. Each will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. ET.

Separately, EBSA is hosting another webinar on September 10 for workers who are nearing retirement in the next 10 years.

“Retirement can seem mysterious which makes planning for it important,” EBSA wrote in its description of the webinar. “Women face additional challenges when saving for retirement which makes planning even more important. As we have seen in recent years, life has a way of throwing changes our way—so there is a need to protect these hard-earned retirement savings. Starting now and getting time on your side will help you be prepared when you want to want to retire.”

With speakers and a live Q&A session, the free webinar is aimed at helping workers nearing retirement “unravel the mystery of preparing for life after work.”

Speakers from EBSA, the Women’s Bureau, the Social Security Administration, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will discuss key issues in planning for retirement, including:

• Why it is important to plan ahead;
• Challenges and circumstances women face in saving for retirement;
• Making the most of the employer-provided plan and checking if retirement savings are on track;
• Social Security and Medicare benefits; and
• How to avoid financial abuse, fraud and scams.

The webinar will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. ET. Registration for the event can be found here.