Latest News + Info
The latest information relating to the health insurance industry.
Small businesses helping workers buy health plans
San Jose Mercury News reports: "When Monty Hagler learned his employee insurance premiums could rise as much as 38 percent, the small business owner decided he couldn't afford coverage that complies with the health care overhaul. He considered a variety of plans from...
BCBSIL Monitoring Confirmed Case of Ebola Virus in Dallas
News from the Blues reports: "With the first case of Ebola virus being confirmed in Dallas, we will be monitoring the situation and providing you with further updates and resources as needed. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recognizes that even a single case of...
U.S. Cannot Subsidize Health Plans in States With No Marketplace, a Judge Rules
The New York Times reports: "A federal district judge in Oklahoma dealt a blow to the Affordable Care Act on Tuesday, ruling that the federal government could not subsidize health insurance in three dozen states that refused to establish their own marketplaces. This...
Employers not interested in PPACA exchanges
Benefits Pro reports: "Nearly one in four employers say they may move their employees toprivate exchanges within the next few years, but virtually none of them are considering public exchanges under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, new analysis from...
Bill Regulates Specialty Drug Co-pay Maximum
From Aetna health plans: ILLINOIS: Legislators introduced a bill last week that would require health plans providing prescription drug coverage to ensure that any required copayment or coinsurance for drugs on a specialty tier not exceed $100 per month for up to a...
IRS Issues New Instructions for Obamacare
Health Insurance Exchange reports: "The Internal Revenue Service has issued new draft instructions, notices and a publication to help taxpayers and tax practitioners deal with the Affordable Care Act. The draft instructions were released last week for Form 8962,...
Benefits Selling’s 2014 Employer Survey
Benefits Pro reports: "The implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has made most employers “rethink” their employee benefit offerings, including increasing employees’ share of cost even more via consumer-driven plans. According to Benefits...
CBO: Cost of Obamacare Subsidy Will Increase 8-Fold in 10 Years
Fox News reports: "The cost of the Obamacare subsidy that the U.S. Treasury will pay on behalf of people who earn under 400 percent of the federal poverty level and who buy a government-approved health-care plan on a government-run health-insurance exchange will...
Employer Shared Responsibility Payments and Reporting Requirements Under the Affordable Care Act: Code Sections 6055 and 6056
The National Law Review reports: "There are two types of employer shared responsibility payments, also known as pay or play penalties, under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The first penalty under Internal Revenue Code (Code) Section 4980H(a) is the penalty for...
IRS Gears up for Impact of Health Care Reform on Tax Season
Accounting Today reports: "Internal Revenue Service commissioner John Koskinen told a congressional subcommittee about the IRS’s progress on the Affordable Care Act and the impact that tax subsidies will have next tax season. In a hearing before the House Ways and...