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Posts Tagged ‘Sugar Grove’

Trump administration releases association health plan rule

Friday, February 2nd, 2018

Axios reports:

“The Department of Health and Human Services has posted its long-awaited proposed rule to make it easier to form “association health plans,” aimed at groups of workers who team up to get better deals on health insurance. Among other things, the rule would encourage these kinds of plans by removing the requirement that says associations have to have a purpose besides health insurance.

The bottom line: The rule says its goal is to help small businesses buy health coverage more easily, but the bigger question is whether they’d pull healthy people out of the Affordable Care Act exchanges.”

Blue Cross Blue Shield Confirms Obamacare Death Spiral

Thursday, April 28th, 2016

According 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.

(more…)

IRS Grants Extension for 6055 and 6056 Reporting

Tuesday, January 26th, 2016

According 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…)

Blue Cross, Advocate team up on new health insurance plan

Monday, January 11th, 2016

Crains Chicago Business Reports:

“Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Illinois and Advocate Health Care are teaming up to offer a health plan that will be one of the cheapest options the insurer offers on and off the Obamacare exchange.
The plan, called BlueCare Direct, is a marriage of two giants. Blue Cross is the largest health insurer in the state, and Downers Grove-based Advocate is the largest health care system, with 12 hospitals and more than 4,000 doctors.

The BlueCare Direct network will include 250 of Advocate’s sites of care in Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane and Will counties, including nine of its hospitals and a children’s hospital with two campuses. Enrollees can stick with their primary care doctor outside of Advocate’s system, but the plan will not cover it, said Dr. Lee Sacks, chief medical officer for Advocate.

(more…)

Benefits Selling’s 2014 Employer Survey

Friday, October 3rd, 2014

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 Selling’s 2014 Employer Survey, 70 percent of employers said PPACA has made them rethink their employee benefit offerings, compared to 30 percent who said the health care reform law hadn’t had any impact on their offerings.

(more…)

HHS: Health Care Premiums Likely To Go Up In 2015

Friday, April 4th, 2014

Insurance News Net reports:

“Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says health insurance premiums are likely to increase in 2015.

Sebelius’s comments came Wednesday during a hearing of the House Committee on Ways and Means about the White House’s 2015 budget proposal, the Wall Street Journal reported.

“I think premiums are likely to go up, but at a smaller pace than what we’ve seen since 2010,” Sebelius said.

The increases seen in 2015 will likely be smaller than those seen in previous years, Sebelius said.

The number of young Americans signing up for health insurance has been below the level needed to keep premiums stable, the Wall Street Journal reported.

On Tuesday, the Obama administration said about 25 percent of people age 18 to 34 have signed up for Obamacare — lower than a 40 percent target believed needed to keep premiums relatively stable.

Overall, 4.2 million people have signed up for health insurance since October, the administration said.”

How to quality for a government health insurance subsidy

Friday, July 19th, 2013

Chicago Tribune reports:

“As health care reform kicks into high gear, many Americans are asking: Will I qualify for a government subsidy to buy health insurance under the new health care law, and when do the changes kick in?

Eligibility depends on your income, family size and the cost of coverage in your area. The biggest changes from the health care law take effect on Jan. 1, 2014, when insurers will no longer be able to reject people for coverage or charge higher rates because of their health.

(more…)

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