Le Lézard
Subjects: Conference, Personnel, Nonprofit

ECFC Applauds Pending Legislation for Telehealth Extension Under HSA-Eligible Health Plans, Announces New Board Members


ECFC, the leading nonprofit organization promoting choice in benefit solutions, will close the year in praise of the pending legislation for a further extension allowing pre-deductible coverage of telehealth services in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). ECFC also announced today the election of new board members.

"ECFC applauds Congress in its effort to extend continued flexibility for telehealth under HSA-eligible health plans," said Christa Day, Executive Director at ECFC. "This will be an incredibly positive step for employers and American workers."

Earlier this week, the Senate Appropriations Committee released the text of the omnibus bill that would fund the federal government and which contains other legislative provisions. The omnibus bill contains a provision advocated by ECFC that would extend a provision allowing pre-deductible coverage of telehealth services in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) until the end of calendar year 2024. Along with many ECFC member companies, industry organizations and healthcare companies, ECFC has been asking Congress to extend this flexibility as part of a year-end legislative package.

A group letter signed by ECFC and dozens of industry companies explains that health coverage is offered prospectively and, therefore, this matter must be addressed before 2023. The letter focuses on the importance of telehealth for improving access to mental health care and substance use disorder treatment, noting that "allowing employers and health plans to continue offering these important services pre-deductible improves affordability and expands access."

ECFC Board of Director Appointments

ECFC board appointments include three newly elected board members: Colleen Boyle, John Rownd, and Barb Van Zomeren.

Boyle is Manager of Healthcare Business Development at Mastercard. Rownd is Vice President, Product Area Leader, Reimbursement Accounts and Healthcare Cards at Fidelity. Van Zomeren is Senior Vice President of ERISA at Ascensus.

In addition, the ECFC board of directors has three new individuals replacing past board members at existing member companies: Itamar Romanini at Health-E Commerce, Sarah Faye Pierce at Paychex, and Heather Ruff at Fiserv.

"We want to congratulate our newly elected board of director members," continued Day. "We look forward to benefiting from their counsel throughout the year and bringing everyone together at our annual conference in March."

For more information about ECFC's 42nd Annual Conference, visit: https://ecfc.org/page/2023annualconference

About ECFC

ECFC is a leading non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining and expanding employee benefit programs on a tax-advantaged basis. ECFC represents and promotes employee benefit programs through effective lobbying and provides education and awareness to members, compensation practitioners, national opinion leaders and the general public to help advance healthcare consumerism. ECFC, which was founded in 1981 as the Employers Council on Flexible Compensation, is the single organization that focuses its efforts on preserving, protecting and defending the tax-advantaged programs currently available to working families through employer plan sponsors. For more information, visit https://ecfc.org/.



News published on and distributed by: