The News & Observer recently reported on the health plans that will be available in the Marketplace in North Carolina in October. Three insurance carriers will be offering plans in the Marketplace, and in some counties, that number is reduced to one. Despite the small number of carriers particpating, as many as 60 plans may be offered. Details of [...]
The Big Push: Obama Administration Readies Advertising Blitz to Promote PPACA
July 24, 2013 By
With just under 70 days to go until the Health Insurance Marketplaces, also known as Health Insurance Exchanges, are set to come online, the Obama Administration is gearing up for a “media blitz” to promote the new coverage options available as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The AP reports [...]
NC Poised to Challenge the Affordable Care Act’s Reach in the Small Group Market
July 17, 2013 By
On Tuesday, July 16th, House Bill 649 was presented to Governor McCrory for signature. H649 makes technical changes to the Small Employer Group Health Coverage Reform Act. The stated purpose of the bill is to “mitigate the effects of the federal Affordable Care Act on North Carolina’s small businesses and to increase stop loss insurance [...]
Treasury Official Testifies on Delay of Employer Mandate and Reporting Requirements
July 17, 2013 By
The written testimony of a U.S. Department of the Treasury official before the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health was published on July 17, 2013. This testimony, given by J. Mark Iwry, Senior Advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Retirement and Health Policy, describes the decision to delay the [...]
Sharpen Your Pencils! Marketplace Navigators are Getting Ready to Assist with Enrollment
July 15, 2013 By
On Friday, July 12, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final rules outlining the standards for Navigators, the people who will assist with enrollment in the Federally-facilitated Marketplace and State-based Marketplaces. Navigators will be trained to provide information to consumers about health insurance, the new Health Insurance Marketplaces, qualified health plans, and public programs including Medicaid and [...]
Large Employers Get One Year Reprieve from Obamacare
July 3, 2013 By
Are you subscribed to the Treasury Department’s blog? Sure, it’s not on the top 10 list, but after today, you may want to consider it. An early evening blog post by Mark Mazure, the Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy, provides a surprising but welcome reprieve for many applicable large employers. In the blog post, Mr. Mazure announced the Administration’s decision [...]
SCOTUS Strikes Down DOMA – What Employer Group Health Plans Can Expect Next
June 27, 2013 By
The Supreme Court of the United States has invalidated Section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) – a landmark decision that will result in significant changes to the employee benefits landscape for same-sex couples legally married in a state. Section 3 of DOMA amends the Dictionary Act in Title I, Section 7 [...]
IRS Issues Transition Relief from Individual Mandate for Employees
June 26, 2013 By
The IRS has issued Notice 2013-42 providing valuable transition relief from the Individual Mandate. The Individual Mandate generally requires all taxpayers to maintain minimum essential coverage beginning January 1, 2014. If a taxpayer does not maintain minimum essential coverage, the taxpayer will be assessed a tax penalty that is the greater of a flat dollar amount [...]
In the Red Zone: Obama Administration Drafts NFL to Help Advertise New Insurance Options
June 25, 2013 By
In a strategic move to promote and publicize the new health insurance coverage options set to become available to the public for 2014, the Obama administration has asked the National Football League (NFL) to help advertise the new health insurance products available as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). With [...]
MLR Rebates Round 2: Employers Prepare for Rebate Distribution
June 25, 2013 By
The Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight has published a listing of health insurance issuers owing Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) rebates for the 2012 MLR reporting year. Health insurance issuers must pay these rebates to individual and group policy holders by August 1, 2013. The Department of Health and Human Services announced on June [...]
