President Obama’s re-election brings some certainty to health care reform: though some details may yet change, the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) is not going away. We all have just over one year to get ready for some of the ACA’s most significant reforms: the individual and employer coverage mandates. When the Affordable Care Act was first passed and signed into law on March 23, 2010, implementation of these major provisions loomed far off in the future. But the time to prepare is now.
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By Christina Paquette – On February 7, 2012 a three-judge panel for the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit struck down Proposition 8 – a ballot measure passed in 2008 that amended California’s constitution to limit marriage to heterosexual couples. The Court ruled that Prop. 8, (more…)
Read moreBy Agnes Markarian Sullivan – Blue Shield of California recently settled an enforcement action with state regulators over providing special therapy for autism patients. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, Blue Shield will no longer deny applied behavior analysis therapy as a non-covered service, challenge its (more…)
Read moreThursday, November 3, 2011, Pasadena Magazine celebrated its 2011 Top Attorneys with a reception at the iconic Langham Huntington. Over five hundred attorneys were chosen as best in their field for the issue that hit newsstands last week. The annual award is voted on by thousands of attorneys (more…)
Read moreFounding Partner, Jack Schaedel and associate, Jennifer Tsao recently co-authored an article on the intricacies of partnerships amongst employees.
Read moreThis morning, a federal district judge in Virginia ruled that a key provision of the new health care reform law — the “Minimum Essential Coverage Provision,” otherwise known as the “individual mandate” – is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson held that Congress exceeded its constitutional powers under the Commerce Clause, or associated Necessary and Proper Clause, by requiring each citizen to arrange for the purchase of health insurance.
Read moreSmall employers face the difficult decision of keeping their “grandfathered” health plans in the face of rate hikes, shopping around for better deals, or dropping health coverage altogether.
Read moreJune 2010 Special Edition Advising the Small Employer on Coverage and Credits By Don A. Hernandez and Jennifer Tsao,1 Hernandez Schaedel & Associates, LLP, Pasadena, CA The recently-enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”) contains a wide variety of reform provisions intended to make (more…)
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