“SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Today eHealth, Inc.(NASDAQ: EHTH) (eHealth.com) released a report on 2018 small business health insurance costs and trends among groups with fewer than 30 employees, along with results of a survey of small business owners who purchased group health insurance through eHealth.
Posts Tagged ‘health insurance costs’
Small Business Health Insurance Offers a Better Deal for Many than Individual Coverage, According to eHealth Report
Friday, April 26th, 2019Tags: deductibles, employees, health insurance costs, health plan, Hebron, Herbron, Highland Park, Hillside, Hinsdale, Huntley, Individuals, insurance news, insurance plan
Posted in Health Insurance Cost | Comments Off on Small Business Health Insurance Offers a Better Deal for Many than Individual Coverage, According to eHealth Report
You think your health insurance costs too much. Try being a farmer.
Wednesday, October 11th, 2017Crains Chicago Business reports:
“John Kiefner, who farms 500 acres of hay in exurban Will County, has had health insurance from five companies in the past four years. One of them wouldn’t allow his wife and him to visit any of their own doctors. Another wouldn’t cover visits to the nearest hospital because it was out of network. All of them kept raising his premiums by 20 percent and more annually.
Tags: Chicago, Elburn, health insurance, health insurance costs, healthcare.gov, Hebron, Herbron, High deductible health plan, Highland Park, Hillside, Hinsdale, Maple Park, Medicare, small businesses, the affordable care act, workplace
Posted in Health Insurance Cost | Comments Off on You think your health insurance costs too much. Try being a farmer.
Health insurance plans to be rated based on size of network
Thursday, April 28th, 2016Live Insurance News reports:
” The Obama administration will now use the number of included doctors and hospitals in the ratings.
In response to complaints from consumers with respect to the way health insurance plans are rated on the exchanges, the Obama administration has now said that it will provide a rating for each plan based on the number of hospitals and doctors that are included within that plan’s network.
Equally, there will also be an increase to the maximum annual out-of-pocket amount that consumers can pay.
For individuals, the maximum out-of-pocket expenses for health insurance next year, will be $7,150. For families that figure will be $14,300. Consumer advocates haven’t been impressed with those numbers, as they have said these additional costs could pose a considerable financial burden for middle-income individuals and families who require a large amount of medical care. These new rules were published within the Federal Register, this week. Under these regulations, insurance companies will be able to sell health plans with limited provider networks. (more…)
Tags: ACA, Affordable Care Act, affordable health insurance, Chicago, Chicagoland, government regulations, group health plans, health care costs, health care reform, health care system, health insurance costs, Health insurance exchange, health insurance reform, Obama care, ObamaCare, Obamacare regulation, West Chicago
Posted in Affordable Care Act, Health Care .gov | Comments Off on Health insurance plans to be rated based on size of network
Blue Cross Blue Shield Confirms Obamacare Death Spiral
Thursday, April 28th, 2016According to The Beacon:
” The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, which represents 36 Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans covering 105 million Americans, has just released a study of its members’ claims data in Obamacare exchanges 2014 and 2015. It confirms that Obamacare exchange enrollees are sicker and more expensive than enrollees in pre-Obamacare individual plans or employer-based plans.
Here I quote four of the study’s findings:
- Members who newly enrolled in BCBS individual health plans in 2014 and 2015 have higher rates of certain diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, coronary artery disease, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C than individuals who had BCBS individual coverage prior to health-care reform.
- Consumers who newly enrolled in BCBS individual health plans in 2014 and 2015 received significantly more medical care, on average, than those with BCBS individual plans prior to 2014 who maintained BCBS individual health coverage into 2015, as well as those with BCBS employer-based group health insurance.
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Posted in Affordable Care Act, Blue Cross and Blue Shield | Comments Off on Blue Cross Blue Shield Confirms Obamacare Death Spiral
The Federal Government’s $146 Billion Obamacare Boo-Boo
Thursday, April 28th, 2016According to The Motley Fool:
” Bad things can happen when a government forecast proves to be way off.
There are mistakes, and then there are big mistakes. What the Congressional Budget Office’s latest report on federal subsidies revealed was a mistake of monstrousproportions on the part of the federal government.
Here’s what a forecasting error looks like
The Congressional Budget Office, or CBO, has been making projections on the future of Obamacare, and healthcare in general, for years. Initially, the CBO had projected that up to 21 million people would sign up for private health insurance using Obamacare’s transparent marketplace exchanges by 2016. However, that estimate has been substantially reduced to just 12 million. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, Obamacare enrollment totaled “about 12.7 million” as of the end of third enrollment period (Jan. 31, 2016). Ultimately, the CBO foresees private health enrollment via Obamacare topping out at between 18 million and 19 million people between 2018 and 2026.
Why such a huge difference in actual enrollment versus initial projections? To begin with, the government appears to have overestimated just how many people would sign up on private exchanges versus being enrolled via their employer. The data has thus far shown that nowhere near as many people as expected dropped out of employer-sponsored insurance to sign up on Obamacare’s marketplace exchanges, meaning there was a considerably smaller uninsured pool than initially anticipated. (more…)
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Posted in Affordable Care Act, Health Insurance Cost | Comments Off on The Federal Government’s $146 Billion Obamacare Boo-Boo
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…
Tags: ACA, ACA requirements, affordable care, Affordable Care Act, affordable health insurance, Andersonville, Barrington, Blue Cross, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Bucktown, budget cuts, Burlington, Cary, Chicago, Chicagoland, Crystal Lake, DeKalb, DeKalb County, Downers Grove, Forest Park, Fox Valley, Geneva, Hampshire, Harvard, health care costs, health care law, health care reform, health care system, health insurance costs, health insurance coverage, health insurance marketplace, health reform, healthcare reform, IL, Illinois, insurance industry, insurance news, insurance plan, Insurance Reform, Kane, Kane County, Kendall, Kendall County, Lake County, Lake View, McHenery, McHenry, Morton Grove, Mr. Obama, new health care, New health insurance law ACA, North West Suburbs, Northern Illinois, Northwest Suburbs, Obama care, ObamaCare, Obamacare regulation, open enrollment, Palatine, Saint Charles, Schaumburg, South Barrington, Streamwood, Tax, taxpayer dollars, the affordable care act, United Health Care, West Chicago, Wicker Park, Will, Will County, young adults, young people
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Illinois Obamacare plan crippled by losses
Thursday, April 21st, 2016According to Crain’s Chicago Business
” The operating losses continue to mount at struggling Land of Lincoln Health, totaling $90.8 million for the Obamacare health plan in 2015.
That net loss is almost five times greater than the Chicago-based startup reported in 2014, when it totaled $17.7 million. The insurer lost about $40 million in just the last three months of 2015, according to a new financial statement filed with national insurance regulators.
Jason Montrie, Land of Lincoln president and interim CEO, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
Kevin Scanlan, chairman of the insurer’s board of directors, said in a statement: “Land of Lincoln Health, like other insurers across the market, continues to adjust its business model as we learn how to best adapt to the new marketplace. . . .The board is confident in its long-term viability and will continue to evaluate and invest in the needs of our members.”
Tags: affordable care, Affordable Care Act, Blue Cross, Chicago, Chicagoland, Cook, Cook County, Dundee, Elmwood Park, Evanston, Government, health care costs, health care reform, health insurance costs, health reform, healthcare reform, healthcare.gov, IL, Illinois, Illinois health insurance exchange, insurance, Insurance Reform, Kane County, Kendall, McCullom Lake, McHenry, Mr. Obama, new health care, New health insurance law ACA, Northwest Suburbs, Obama care, ObamaCare, Obamacare regulation, Saint Charles, Schiller Park, South Barrington, state health insurance, Tax, taxpayer dollars, the affordable care act, West Chicago, Wicker Park
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IRS Grants Extension for 6055 and 6056 Reporting
Tuesday, January 26th, 2016According to United Healthcare, Broker Connection Special Edition:
“On Dec. 28, 2015, the IRS announced that it is granting an automatic extension for the 2015 information returns required of insurers, employers and certain other providers of Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) under Section 6055 and 6056 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC).
Coverage providers that need more time now have until March 31 to get Form 1095 to individuals and until June 30 to electronically file with the IRS. For providers not filing electronically, the deadline is May 31, 2016. (more…)
Tags: 2015, 2016, ACA, ACA requirements, affordable care, Affordable Care Act, affordable health insurance, Albany Park, Andersonville, barack obama, Barrington, Bartlett, Broker, Bucktown, buffalo grove, buy health insurance, buying insurance, care reform legislation, Carol Stream, Carpentersville, Cary, Changeing Health Care, Chicago, Chicagoland, Contact Us, Cook, Cook County, Costs, Deerfield, DeKalb, DeKalb County, Dundee, DuPage, DuPage County, East Dundee, Elgin, Employers, enroll, enrollment, Fox Valley, Geneva, Glendale Heights, Government, government regulations, health, health care benefits, health care costs, health care law, health care reform, health care system, health exemption, 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, healthcare reform, healthcare.gov, Hinsdale, Huntley, IL, Illinois, Illinois Department of Insurance, Illinois health insurance exchange, individual, individual health insurance, individual insurance, Individual Mandate, Individual Shared Responsibility, Individuals, insurance, Insurance benefit consultant, insurance broker, insurance industry, insurance news, insurance plan, Insurance Reform, IRS, Johnsburg, Kane, Kane County, Kendall, Kendall County, Key Findings ACA, Lake, Lake County, Lake in the Hills, Lakewood, Logan Square, Long Grove, McHenery, McHenry, McHenry County, Minimum Essential Coverage, Mount Prospect, Naperville, Navigator, new health care, New health insurance law ACA, North Aurora, North West Suburbs, Northern Illinois, Northwest Suburbs, Obama care, ObamaCare, Obamacare regulation, open enrollment, Palatine, Penalty, PPO, pre existing conditions, Richmond, Riverwoods, Rolling Meadows, Saint Charles, Schaumburg, self-insurance, single payer health care system, South Barrington, special enrollment, Streamwood, Sugar Grove, Tax, taxpayer dollars, the affordable care act, timeline, UHC, United Health Care, United Healthcare, UnitedHealthcare, Villa Park, Warrenville, Wasco, Wayne, West Chicago, Wheaton, Wicker Park, Will, Will County, Wood Dale, Woodstock
Posted in Individual Health Insurance, Open Enrollment | Comments Off on IRS Grants Extension for 6055 and 6056 Reporting
Healthcare.gov CEO says insurance marketplace’s complexity argues for agents
Tuesday, January 26th, 2016According to The Advocate:
“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.
Tags: ACA, ACA requirements, advice, Advocate Heath Care, affordable care, Affordable Care Act, affordable health insurance, Albany Park, Algonquin, Andersonville, Arlington Heights, Atena, aurora, barack obama, Barrington, Barrington Hills, Bartlett, Broker, Bucktown, buffalo grove, buying insurance, care reform legislation, Carpentersville, Cary, Changeing Health Care, Chicago, Chicagoland, Cook, Cook County, Costs, coverage plan, deductibles, Deer Park, DeKalb, DeKalb County, Downers Grove, DuPage, DuPage County, employer health insurance, enroll, enrollment, family plan, Fox Valley, 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, Humana, Huntley, IL, Illinois, Illinois Department of Insurance, Illinois health insurance exchange, individual, Insurance benefit consultant, insurance broker, insurance industry, insurance news, insurance plan, Insurance Reform, Kane, Kane County, Kendall, Kendall County, Lake, Lake County, Lake View, Logan Square, Marketplace, McHenery, McHenry, McHenry County, Navigator, new health care, New health insurance law ACA, North Aurora, North West Suburbs, Northern Illinois, Northwest Suburbs, notices, Obama care, ObamaCare, Obamacare regulation, open enrollment, PPO, Producer, Schaumburg, sign up, Skokie, South Barrington, state health insurance, state legislatures, the affordable care act, UnitedHealthcare, Villa Park, West Chicago, Wicker Park, Will, Will County, workplace
Posted in Affordable Care Act, Health Insurance News | Comments Off on Healthcare.gov CEO says insurance marketplace’s complexity argues for agents