Latest News + Info
The latest information relating to the health insurance industry.
More High-Deductible Plan Members Can’t Pay Hospital Bills
Kaiser Health News reports: "As employers and insurance companies shift more health costs into workers’ pockets, hospitals are making a discovery. The pockets aren’t bottomless. “The number of accounts that we’re seeing that relate to these high-deductible plans has...
UPS blames PPACA, to slash 15,000 spouses from coverage
Benefits Pro reports: "The number of employers whose company health benefits plan cover the working (elsewhere) spouses of their employees has just been reduced by one — and it’s a big one, too. UPS announced in a memo to employees that it would cut up as many as...
Affordable Care Act Tax Provisions
The IRS reports: "The Affordable Care Act was enacted on March 23, 2010. It contains some tax provisions that are in effect and more that will be implemented during the next several years. The following is a list of provisions for which the IRS has issued proposed...
Get Ready for Enrollment in Health Exchanges
The Wall Street Journal reports: "In about six weeks, Americans will have a new kind of open enrollment to consider. Starting Oct. 1, people without health insurance can sign up for standardized coverage through new health-insurance marketplaces run either by their...
Insurance Through Employer A Better Deal Than Through Exchange
Insurance News Net reports: "If you're hearing about the new Health Insurance Marketplace and wondering if it might be a better deal than your employer's insurance, the answer is: It probably isn't. People covered under most employer group insurance policies aren't...
Ten’s a crowd in the doctor’s office
Benefits Pro reports: "This week, in Time magazine, I read about a possible solution. And it frightens me. Group appointments. Yes, doctor-patient-patient-patient-patient-patient relationships. It appears more people are seeing their doctor with another nine or so...
Obama administration delays another healthcare reform provision
HR . BLR . com reports: "The Obama administration has revealed the delay of another Affordable Care Act (ACA) provision. The administration has postponed a consumer protection provision that limits out-of-pocket costs until 2015. Under the provision, the limit on such...
Estimate: Nearly 1M workers to quit when exchanges open
Benefits Pro reports: "Some Obamacare opponents have labeled the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as a job-killer. New research indicates there may be a grain of truth to that — although the jobs won’t be “lost” the way the naysayers are predicting. Rather,...
55 Health Care Reform Acronyms
Zane Benefits reports: "Health care reform has introduced a new language of acronyms, terminology, and abbreviations. These acronyms are used to describe the law, regulations, health insurance, and government entities. Here is a list of the top 55 health care reform...
2014 Small Group Pediatric Dental Coverage Update
Blue Cross and Blue Shield reports: "Effective on plan/policy years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2014, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will require non-grandfathered fully insured small group (2-50) metallic benefit plans to include pediatric dental coverage as an...