Monday, December 28, 2020 The Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), 2021, which was signed into law December 27, 2020, includes provisions designed to increase transparency in employee health benefit plans in four key areas. Removal of Gag Clauses on Price and Quality Information Section 201 of the CAA amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), and the Internal Revenue Code to require employer-sponsored health plans to ensure they have access to certain cost and quality of care information. As a result of the amendment, plans may not agree to restrictions in provider network contracts that would prevent them from accessing cost and quality of care information and providing that information to participants. This information includes provider-specific cost and quality of care data.