In the context of claims processing for self-insured plans, Third Party Administrators (TPAs) play a critical role in designing internal controls to ensure accuracy and timeliness. However, relying solely on the TPA’s internal control structure may not be sufficient for a plan sponsor. This is where User Entity Controls (UECs) come into play, providing essential…
AI, or Artificial Intelligence, has been around for decades and can be defined in one way as the simulation of human intelligence, specifically by machines. The first discussions regarding artificial intelligence originated back in 1956, the first chatbot went live in 1964, and college students were commonly studying this concept by the late 1980`s. There…
When equity investments are valued at fair value, fair value needs to be measured based upon the requirements in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement. The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) noticed diversity in practice related to applying a discount to the price of an equity security that is subject to a…
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) again postponed Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) rules for certain taxpayers owning inherited retirement accounts.The announcement delays mandatory distributions for these taxpayers that were previously expected to begin in 2024 and continue until 2025. Prior to 2020, beneficiaries of inherited retirement accounts were generally able to withdraw the balance of these…
Physician compensation is a complex topic that must consider fair market value (to comply with regulatory standards for the Anti-Kickback Statute and Stark Law), budgetary and financial constraints, and the overall contentment of the physician receiving the compensation package. According to the 2024 Medscape Physician Compensation Report, physician compensation rose by 3%, on average, in…
Withum Partner and E-Commerce Practice Co-Lead, Lonnie Bloom recently sat down with Kunle Campbell on his 2X eCommerce Podcast to discuss his journey to accounting and what led to his interest in E-Commerce. Lonnie shares some insights into the challenges and strategies businesses face and deploy when adapting to economic changes and shifts in consumer…
On March 19, 2024, Bengaluru, India, played host to the Microsoft AI Partner Training Roadshow. The event was a day-long event held at The Lalit Ashok and was attended by developers, sales and pre-sales professionals, data scientists, and innovative technologists. It was a platform for the “partners” of Microsoft to understand various AI offerings, get…
In a landmark move, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced on April 30, 2024, that it will initiate the process of rescheduling cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), effectively recognizing its medical value and opening the door for more research and legal access. The decision comes after years…
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to integrate into legal processes, the idea of utilizing large language models (LLMs) for interpreting contracts is gaining traction. These technologies offer significant potential to streamline and improve the precision of contractual analysis. However, before AI can fully take on this role, several fundamental challenges related to natural language understanding…