Federal/Ky. Officials Offer Compliance Assistance

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the Kentucky Office of Insurance (KOI) are teaming up to provide assistance for employers, including small business owners, struggling to comply with state and federal laws related to health benefit plans.

A free two-day seminar, HIPAA and Other Health Benefits Laws: Compliance Assistance Seminar, is scheduled for Aug. 4-5 at the Seelbach Hilton in Louisville. In addition to DOL and KOI, representatives from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Internal Revenue Service are scheduled to participate.

“We hope employers, third party administrators and health insurance carriers will come away from this program with a better understanding of federal and state laws relating to health benefit plans,” acting KOI executive director Glenn Jennings said. “We believe having all the players in one room at one time will be a major benefit for those participating in the event.”

Various aspects of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), including privacy provisions, will be discussed at the seminar, as well as the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), state continuation, the Family and Medical Leave Act and DOL claims regulation.

The seminar is limited to the first 100 registrants. For more information, contact Deborah Milne, coordinator of the DOL Health Benefits Education campaign, at 410-990-4984, or by e-mail at mailto:milne.deborah@dol.gov