“The Trump administration says many of the organizations that help people enroll in health plans on the federal insurance marketplaces don’t provide enough bang for the buck, sometimes costing thousands of dollars to sign up each customer. So, it is cutting their funding, some by as much as 90 percent, the government told the groups last week.
Posts Tagged ‘budget cuts’
Bemoaning Budget Cuts, Navigators Say Feds Don’t Appreciate Scope Of The Job
Thursday, September 21st, 2017Tags: budget cuts, Deer Park, Deerfield, DeKalb, DeKalb County, Delay, Des Plaines, Desplaines, Government, health plan, Insurance Reform, medical expenses, open enrollment, PPO
Posted in Individual Health Insurance | Comments Off on Bemoaning Budget Cuts, Navigators Say Feds Don’t Appreciate Scope Of The Job
Obamacare Encounters Another Bump in the Road
Thursday, April 28th, 2016According to News Max Finance:
” Well, the hammer has fallen: The largest health insurer in the U.S. has started pulling out of select Obamacare exchanges.
Five months ago UnitedHealth, which had been singing sunny songs to investors about its bright future on the exchanges, abruptly began crooning the blues. In an earnings call barely a month after executives assured investors that all was going swimmingly, they confessed that they were losing a ton of money on their Obamacare policies and described a pattern that sounded as if consumers were gaming the system — signing up for a few months, using a ton of services, and then canceling their policies. If this continued, they said, they would have no choice but to pull out of the exchange business. (more…)
Tags: ACA, affordable care, Affordable Care Act, Albany Park, Andersonville, aurora, Bartlett, Batavia, Bucktown, budget cuts, buying insurance, Carpentersville, Cary, Changeing Health Care, Chicago, Chicagoland, Cook, Cook County, Costs, Crystal Lake, DeKalb, DeKalb County, Downers Grove, East Dundee, Elgin, Elmwood Park, employer health insurance, enroll, enrollment, Fox River Grove, health care costs, health care law, health care reform, health insurance costs, health insurance coverage, Health insurance exchange, health insurance marketplace, health insurance reform, health plan, health reform, healthcare reform, Huntley, insurance industry, insurance news, insurance plan, Insurance Reform, Kane, Kane County, Kaneville, Lake County, Lake View, Lisle, Long Grove, Marketplace, McHenery, McHenry, McHenry County, Mr. Obama, Naperville, new health care, New health insurance law ACA, North Aurora, North West Suburbs, Northern Illinois, Northwest Suburbs, Oakbrook Terrace, Oswego, Park Ridge, Ringwood, Rolling Meadows, Roselle, Schaumburg, state health insurance, the affordable care act, UHC, United Health Care, United Healthcare, UnitedHealthcare, Villa Park, Wasco, West Chicago, Wicker Park, Will, Will County, Woodstock
Posted in Affordable Care Act, Exchange, Health Insurance News, Insurance Reform | Comments Off on Obamacare Encounters Another Bump in the Road
How Obamacare Makes Tax Filing Trickier
Thursday, April 21st, 2016According to Time Inc.
“Many Americans will get new tax forms for the first time. Here’s what to do with them.
This year, you may be receiving tax forms you’ve never seen before, all thanks to the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. For the most part, these documents won’t make tax filing too much harder—with one big exception. Here’s what you need to know about this paperwork, depending on what kind of health insurance you had in 2015.
If you had health insurance from your employer all year…
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Coming soon to your mailbox: An Obamacare tax form
Tuesday, January 26th, 2016According to The CT Mirror:
“Even if you don’t get your health insurance through Obamacare, you’re likely to get something related to the health law in the mail in the coming weeks: A new tax form.

The 1095-A form exchange customers will receive. Others will get different versions, depending on the source of their health care coverage.
Known as Form 1095, it’s part of the way the federal government verifies whether people are complying with the mandate that requires nearly all U.S. residents to have health care coverage. This year is the first time most people will be getting those forms, and officials are anticipating a fair amount of confusion. In part, that’s because what you need to do with that form depends on the type of coverage you had.
Here’s what you need to know. (more…)
Tags: 2015, 2016, ACA, ACA requirements, advice, affordable care, Affordable Care Act, affordable health insurance, Albany Park, Alden, Algonquin, Andersonville, Bannockburn, barack obama, Barrington, Barrington Hills, Bartlett, Boulder Hill, Bucktown, budget cuts, buffalo grove, Bull Valley, buy health insurance, buying insurance, care reform legislation, Carpentersville, Cary, Changeing Health Care, Chicago, Chicagoland, Cook, Cook County, Costs, coverage plan, Crystal Lake, Darien, Deer Park, Deerfield, DeKalb, DeKalb County, Des Plaines, Downers Grove, DuPage, DuPage County, East Dundee, Elburn, Elmhurst, employer health insurance, enroll, enrollment, exchange, federal medicaid, Fox River Grove, Fox Valley, Geneva, Glen Ellyn, Government, government regulations, Hampshire, Harvard, health, health care benefits, health care costs, health care law, health care reform, health care system, health exemption, health insurance, health insurance costs, health insurance coverage, Health insurance exchange, health insurance marketplace, health insurance premiums, health insurance reform, Health Marketplace, health plan, health programs, health reform, health savings account, healthcare reform, healthcare.gov, Highland Park, Huntley, IL, Illinois, Illinois health insurance exchange, individual, individual health insurance, individual insurance, Individual Mandate, insurance, Insurance benefit consultant, insurance industry, insurance news, insurance plan, Insurance Reform, IRS, Kane, Kane County, Kendall, Kendall County, Lake County, Lakewood, Lincolnwood, Lombard, Maywood, McCullen Lake, McHenery, McHenry, McHenry County, Medicaid, Medicare, Montgomery, Naperville, new health care, New health insurance law ACA, North Aurora, North West Suburbs, Northern Illinois, Northlake, Northwest Suburbs, Oak Park, Obama care, ObamaCare, Obamacare regulation, open enrollment, Palatine, Park Ridge, Penalty, Pingree Grove, Prairie Grove, premiums, public exchange, Ringwood, Rolling Meadows, Roselle, Saint Charles, Schaumburg, sign up, Skokie, South Barrington, special enrollment, St. Charles, state health insurance, state legislatures, Stone Park, Supreme Court, supreme court decisions, Tax, taxpayer dollars, Tower Lakes, Villa Park, Wasco, West Chicago, West Dundee, Westchester, Wheaton, Wicker Park, Will, Will County, Wood Dale, Woodstock
Posted in Affordable Care Act, Health Insurance News, Heath Care Costs | Comments Off on Coming soon to your mailbox: An Obamacare tax form
Humana to Record 2016 Obamacare Shortfall, Membership Drops
Tuesday, January 26th, 2016According to Bloomberg Business:
“Humana Inc. is the latest insurer to run into trouble in Obamacare’s individual health-insurance markets.
The health insurer said that it probably won’t collect enough money to cover costs for some customers who bought individual plans, and will set aside what’s known as a premium deficiency reserve. The shortfall is for 2016 plans that comply with new rules under the Affordable Care Act, Louisville, Kentucky-based Humana said Friday.
UnitedHealth Group Inc., the biggest U.S. health insurer, said in November that it might stop participating in the Obamacare next year after taking losses. One analyst predicted that Humana would follow suit.
(more…)
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Posted in Affordable Care Act, Health Insurance News, Individual Health Insurance | Comments Off on Humana to Record 2016 Obamacare Shortfall, Membership Drops
Feds tighten when people can enroll in Obamacare plans
Tuesday, January 26th, 2016According to USA Today:
“Bowing to pressure from insurers, federal officials on Tuesday tightened the conditions under which people can sign up for plans on the HealthCare.govexchange outside open enrollment.
The move by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services comes after complaints by health insurers that it was too easy for people to wait until they were sick to sign up and to drop coverage after they got treatment. Earlier Tuesday, UnitedHealth announced a 19% drop in profit and downgraded its earnings forecast citing concerns about its Obamacare enrollment and the flexibility people had to change insurance plans. (more…)
Tags: 2016, ACA, ACA requirements, affordable care, Affordable Care Act, affordable health insurance, Albany Park, Andersonville, Arlington Heights, Barrington, Bartlett, BCBS, Berwyn, Blue Cross, Bucktown, budget cuts, buy health insurance, buying insurance, care reform legislation, Carpentersville, Changeing Health Care, Chicago, Chicagoland, Cicero, Cook, Cook County, Costs, coverage plan, Crystal Lake, Deer Park, Deerfield, DeKalb, DeKalb County, Desplaines, Dundee, DuPage, DuPage County, ebola, Elgin, Elmwood Park, enroll, enrollment, exchange, Forest Park, Fox River Grove, Fox Valley, Franklin Park, Geneva, Gilberts, Glen Ellyn, Glencoe, Glendale Heights, Government, government regulations, group rates, health, health care benefits, health care costs, health care law, health care reform, health care system, health insurance costs, health insurance coverage, Health insurance exchange, health insurance marketplace, health insurance premiums, health insurance reform, Health Marketplace, health plan, health programs, health reform, health savings account, healthcare reform, healthcare.gov, High deductible health plan, Hinsdale, Holiday Hills, Huntley, IL, Illinois, Illinois Department of Insurance, Illinois health insurance exchange, individual health insurance, individual insurance, insurance, Insurance benefit consultant, insurance industry, insurance news, insurance plan, Insurance Reform, Kane, Kane County, Kendall, Kendall County, Lake County, Lake in the Hills, Lake View, Lakewood, Lincolnwood, Logan Square, Maple Park, Marengo, Massachusetts, McCullom Lake, McHenery, McHenry, McHenry County, Medicaid, medical expenses, Medicare, new health care, New health insurance law ACA, North Aurora, North Barrington, North West Suburbs, Northern Illinois, Northlake, Northwest Suburbs, Oak Park, Oakbrook Terrace, Obama care, ObamaCare, Obamacare regulation, open enrollment, Palatine, Park Ridge, Penalty, Prairie Grove, Ringwood, Riverwoods, Roselle, Saint Charles, Schaumburg, sign up, Skokie, Sleepy Hollow, South Barrington, South Elgin, special enrollment, St. Charles, state health insurance, Streamwood, Sugar Grove, Tax, the affordable care act, timeline, Trout Valley, Villa Park, Village of Lakewood, Warrenville, Wasco, West Chicago, West Dundee, Wheaton, Will, Winfield, Wood Dale, Woodridge, Woodstock, young adults, young people
Posted in Affordable Care Act, Health Insurance News, Open Enrollment | Comments Off on Feds tighten when people can enroll in Obamacare plans
Healthcare.gov CEO says insurance marketplace’s complexity argues for agents
Monday, January 11th, 2016“The Affordable Care Act is confusing and complicated, which means that health insurance agents and brokers are needed to help consumers pick the best plans for them, Kevin Counihan, chief executive officer of Healthcare.gov, said Monday.
“It’s got plenty of opportunity to be made a little bit better,” Counihan said. “And I’m very hopeful and confident that as we get more adults in Congress that they’re all going to sit down, the two sides together, and they’re going to address some of these issues.”
Counihan spoke to about 20 brokers and agents at an event hosted in Baton Rouge by the Louisiana Association of Health Underwriters. (more…)
Tags: ACA, ACA requirements, Advocate Heath Care, affordable care, Affordable Care Act, affordable health insurance, Albany Park, Algonquin, Andersonville, barack obama, Barrington, Barrington Hills, Bartlett, BCBS, BCBSIL, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, budget cuts, buffalo grove, buy health insurance, buying insurance, care reform legislation, Carol Stream, Carpentersville, Cary, Chicago, Chicagoland, Cicero, COBRA, Consultant, Cook, Cook County, Costs, Crystal Lake, deductibles, DeKalb, DeKalb County, departments of health and human services, Des Plaines, Downers Grove, Dundee, DuPage County, East Dundee, Elgin, employer health insurance, enroll, enrollment, exchange, family plan, Fox River Grove, Fox Valley, Geneva, Gilberts, Glendale Heights, Government, government regulations, group health plan, group health plans, Hampshire, Health and Human Services, health care benefits, health care costs, health care law, health care reform, health care system, health insurance, health insurance costs, health insurance coverage, Health insurance exchange, health insurance marketplace, health insurance reform, health plan, health programs, health reform, health savings account, healthcare reform, healthcare.gov, High deductible health plan, human resources, Humana, Huntley, IL, Illinois health insurance exchange, individual, Insurance benefit consultant, insurance broker, Kane, Kane County, Kendall County, Key Findings ACA, Lake County, Lake in the Hills, Lake View, Lakewood, Long Grove, Marengo, Marketplace, McHenery, McHenry, McHenry County, Morton Grove, Naperville, new health care, New health insurance law ACA, Northlake, Oak Park, Obama care, ObamaCare, Obamacare regulation, open enrollment, Palatine, Prairie Grove, Riverwoods, Saint Charles, Schaumburg, South Barrington, Streamwood, taxpayer dollars, the affordable care act, U.S. Senate, unemployment, United Healthcare, UnitedHealthcare, Wasco, West Chicago, Wheaton, Will County
Posted in Affordable Care Act, Health Care .gov, Health Insurance News | Comments Off on Healthcare.gov CEO says insurance marketplace’s complexity argues for agents
The ‘Affordable’ Care Act, another Christmas bah-humbug
Monday, January 11th, 2016“‘Tis the season for giving—and for the Affordable Care Act, it’s become the season for giving bad news. For the third year in a row, open enrollment has given millions of hardworking Americans news that their health insurance will have higher premiums, fewer choices, and more out-of-pocket costs—if their insurance will even exist after the holidays are over.
But this sad reality won’t be found in the flowery rhetoric of the law’s supporters. From President Obama to Hillary Clinton to many candidates for both the U.S. Senate and House, politicians are claiming the law is a smashing success. This might make for a good stump speech for the base, but these claims carry huge political risks: They sound woefully disconnected from the struggles millions of Americans are suffering under this law.
Tags: ACA, ACA requirements, Advocate Heath Care, affordable care, Affordable Care Act, affordable health insurance, Albany Park, Algonquin, barack obama, Barrington, Barrington Hills, Bartlett, BCBS, BCBSIL, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Bucktown, budget cuts, buffalo grove, buy health insurance, buying insurance, care reform legislation, Carol Stream, Carpentersville, Changeing Health Care, Chicago, Chicagoland, Cook, Cook County, Costs, coverage plan, Crystal Lake, deductibles, DeKalb, DeKalb County, departments of health and human services, East Dundee, Elgin, employer health insurance, enroll, enrollment, exchange, family plan, Forest Park, Fox River Grove, Geneva, Government, government regulations, health, health care benefits, health care costs, health care law, health care reform, health care system, health exemption, health insurance, health insurance costs, health insurance coverage, Health insurance exchange, health insurance marketplace, health insurance premiums, health insurance reform, Health Marketplace, health programs, health reform, healthcare reform, healthcare.gov, Huntley, IL, Illinois, Illinois Department of Insurance, Illinois health insurance exchange, insurance news, insurance plan, Insurance Reform, IRS, Kane, Kane County, Kendall County, Lake County, McHenry, McHenry County, Midterm Election 2010, Mr. Obama, new health care, New health insurance law ACA, North West Suburbs, Obama care, ObamaCare, Obamacare regulation, open enrollment, premiums, Schaumburg, state health insurance, Streamwood, taxpayer dollars, the affordable care act, U.S. Senate, West Chicago, West Dundee, Wicker Park, Will County, Woodstock
Posted in Affordable Care Act, Health Insurance News, Health Reform | Comments Off on The ‘Affordable’ Care Act, another Christmas bah-humbug
New health insurance choices under Obamacare
Wednesday, October 23rd, 2013CBS News reports:
“For many American workers Oct. 1 marks the beginning of open enrollment, when employees make benefits elections for the coming year. This is the time to make new choices or confirm existing elections on the menu of your company’s health insurance options and other benefits.
But this year, Oct. 1 also marks the beginning of open enrollment for health insurance coverage through the new Health Insurance Marketplace, formerly known as the health insurance exchange. This marketplace is required to be available by this date in accordance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. This adds yet another layer of complexity for individuals as they sort out which health insurance plan is best in 2014.
Tags: Affordable Care Act, Big Rock, Blue Cross, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Boulder Hill, bronze plan, budget cuts, buffalo grove, Bull Valley, Cary, Chicago, health insurance, Health insurance exchange, health insurance marketplace, individual, insurance plan, ObamaCare
Posted in Health Reform | Comments Off on New health insurance choices under Obamacare
Health reform turns 3, with the hardest part yet to come
Tuesday, April 9th, 2013“Three years ago this weekend, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law.
Its provisions sound sweeping – get health insurance to 32 million Americans who don’t have it now, stop insurers from cherry-picking their customers, require basic coverage that’s proven to improve health and lower costs, not to mention initiatives to get doctors to work together in teams. But the law’s written to go into effect in stages, and it’ll be years before all the provisions are up and running.
Tags: Affordable Care Act, barack obama, Boulder Hill, budget cuts, buffalo grove, Chicago, Chicagoland, exchange, Fox Valley, Health and Human Services, health insurance, health insurance marketplace, Huntley, Marketplace, North West Suburbs, Northern Illinois, Northwest Suburbs, public exchange
Posted in Health Reform | Comments Off on Health reform turns 3, with the hardest part yet to come