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Howard D. Bye-Torre
Of Counsel
Seattle, WA
(206) 386-7631 Direct
(206) 386-7500 Fax

hdbye-torre@stoel.com

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Howard D. Bye-Torre

Experience

Howard Bye-Torre is Of Counsel with the firm. His practice focuses on assisting clients with employee benefit matters relating to cafeteria, health and other welfare plans. Howard has both written and spoken on federal health care reform, HIPAA, COBRA, Medicare Part D, Medicare Second Payer, wellness programs, domestic partner issues, ERISA, the Americans with Disabilities Act and other state and federal law benefit topics. In addition to his work with ERISA plans, he has extensive experience with governmental and church plans.

Previously, Howard was senior editor at the Employee Benefits Institute of America, Inc. (2007), and equity shareholder with Cox Smith Incorporated (1985-2007).

Representative Work

  • Representation of nationwide church group health plan for employees and separate plan for retirees, including all plan and other document preparation and all state and federal law compliance matters.
  • Drafting of summary plan descriptions, plans and other documents for large national companies.
  • Advising on health care reform issues for employers and their group health plans.
  • Formation of health care purchasing consortium of five large employers to negotiate discounts for their self-funded health plan participants.
  • Representation of regional transit authority, a municipally owned water system and a large municipal electric utility in all health and welfare plan matters.
  • Compliance with federal health care reform, ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA, USERRA, Medicare Secondary Payer, Medicare Part D, ADA, FMLA and ADEA for group health plans.
  • HIPAA, COBRA and Medicare Part D training for boards of directors, executives and employee benefits and human resources personnel.
  • Drafting and negotiation of contracts (including HIPAA business associate agreements) with plan service providers, such as TPAs, utilization reviewers, pharmacy benefit managers, HSA banks, investment managers, custodians and PPO and similar provider networks.
  • Representation of clients in all aspects of cafeteria plans, dependent care reimbursement plans and medical flexible spending account plans, including grace period and debit card issues.

Professional Honors & Activities

  • Member, Editorial Board, The Health Lawyer, American Bar Association Health Law Section
  • Vice Chair, The Health Lawyer, American Bar Association Health Law Section, 2011
  • Vice Chair, Coordinating Committee on Diversity, American Bar Association Health Law Section, 2011
  • Liaison to the Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, American Bar Association Health Law Section
  • Member, The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation
  • Member and Fellow, College of the State Bar of Texas, 1993-2010

Presentations

  • "New Final Regulations on HIPAA Privacy and Security: HITECH, Breach Notification, Individual Rights, and More," EBIA Web Seminar, Feb. 2013
  • Health Care Reform: Group Health Plan Updates, Stoel Rives Health Care Reform Seminars, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Sacramento, Minneapolis and Boise, 2010-2013
  • "COBRA Compliance for Group Health Plans" and "HIPAA Privacy and Security," EBIA In-Person Seminars, 2009-2012
  • "Challenges to the Validity of DOMA, Planning for Impacts on Domestic Partner Benefits," EBIA Web Seminar, Sept. 2012
  • "Health Care Reform Law Alert: Impact on Employers and Group Health Plans," Human Resources Council for the Association for Washington Business, Seattle, Aug. 2012
  • Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act: What's New in 2012," ALI-ABA Web Seminar, Aug. 2012
  • "Domestic Partner Coverage in Light of DOMA Challenges," EBIA Advanced Cafeteria Plans and Benefits Conference, Seattle, July 2012
  • "Health Care Reform Latest Developments," Washington State Association of Counties Health Benefits Forum, June 2012
  • "Health Care Reform: Group Health Plan Update Spring 2012," Western Pension & Benefits Conference, Seattle and Portland Chapters, Apr. and May 2012
  • "Same Sex Marriage, Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships: Benefits Plan Design and Litigation Issues," Health and Welfare Plan Issues, ABA Joint Committee on Employee Benefits (JCEB) Teleconference, Mar. 2012
  • "New W-2 Health Benefits Reporting Requirements," ALI-ABA Web Seminar, Jan. 2012
  • "Wellness Benefits: Are Employers in Compliance in Today's Environment?" ALI-ABA Web Seminar, Jul. 2011
  • "Employee Benefits Issues for LGBT Families: Participation and Tax Issues," QLaw Seattle Legal Conference, Apr. 2011
  • "Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act: Where We Are Now," ALI-ABA Web Seminar, Mar. 2011
  • "HIPAA Privacy and Security Training: Basic Rules for Handling Group Health Plan PHI," EBIA Web Seminar, Jan. 2011
  • "Legal Issues in Wellness Programs: HIPAA, GINA, ADA, IRC and Beyond," Northwest Human Resources Management Association (NHRMA) Conference, Oct. 2010
  • Action for 2011 Plan Year: Health and Welfare Benefits," Western Pension & Benefits Conference Meeting, Portland, Oct. 2010

Civic Activities

  • Church organist, Zion Lutheran Church of Kent
  • Member, Rainbow City Band, Seattle

Publications

  • Contributing author, Self-Insured Health Plans, Thomson Reuters/EBIA, 2012-present
  • Contributing author, Employee Benefits for Domestic Partners: Design, Taxation and Administration, Thomson Reuters/EBIA, 2009-present
  • Contributing author, HIPAA Portability, Privacy & Security, Thomson Reuters/EBIA, 2007-present
  • Editor, EBIA's HIPAA Portability, Privacy & Security, Thomson Reuters/EBIA, 2007-2008
  • "Health Plans 2012: Healthcare Reform Continues" (coauthor), The Health Lawyer, Apr. 2012
  • Contributor, "Affidavits 'Falling Out of Favor' in Proving Domestic Partnership, Speaker Says," Bloomberg BNA, Pension and Benefits Reporter, Mar. 20, 2012
  • "Ninth Circuit: California's Ban on Same-Sex Marriage Violates U.S. Constitution", EBIA Weekly, Feb. 2012
  • Contributor, "Large Employers Advised to Prepare Now For Reporting Aggregated Health Benefits," Bloomberg BNA, Jan. 24, 2012
  • "Health Care Reform: New IRS Guidance on W-2 Reporting of Health Care Coverage" (coauthor), Washington Healthcare News, May 2011, reprinted in Association of Washington Cities Employee Benefit Trust e-newsletter (For Your Health), Jul. 2011
  • "Health Plans 2011: Regulatory Update" (coauthor), The Health Lawyer, Feb. Jan. 2011
  • "Federal Healthcare Reform Begins for Health Plans" (coauthor), Washington Healthcare News, Dec. 2010
  • "Health Plans 2011: Healthcare Reform Begins" (coauthor), The Health Lawyer, Oct. 2010
  • "Health Plans 2010: Host of New Federal Laws" (coauthor), The Health Lawyer, Apr. 2010
  • "Shopping Abroad for Medical Care: The Next Step in Controlling the Escalating Health Care Costs of American Group Health Plans?," The Health Lawyer, Apr. 2007

Education

  • University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 1985, high honors,
    Order of the Coif
  • Wartburg College, Bachelor of Music, 1977, piano performance, summa cum laude

Admissions

  • Washington
  • Texas

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