Following the 2021 tax year, the ACA has garnered the highest number of enrollments it has ever seen. Over 35 million Americans have obtained health coverage because of the ACA, …
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
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Affordable Care Act
TIGTA Reports 27.4% of Premium Tax Credits Are Improper Payments
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: On April 30, 2020, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) issued a new report entitled, “Improper Payment Reporting Has Improved; However, There Have Been No …
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Affordable Care Act
Potential ACA Relief for Employers Facing COVID-19 Hardship
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: As the COVID-19 global health pandemic continues to affect businesses large and small, employers must still comply with the requirements of the ACA’s Employer Mandate. As a …
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Affordable Care Act
Proposed IRS Regs Provide Guidance on ACA and HRAs
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen3 minute read: Recently proposed IRS regulations provide guidance to employers who want to start offering individual coverage HRAs in place of offers of health coverage under the Affordable Care …
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1 minute read: The IRS has released Notice 2019-50, which outlines the Applicable Fee amount for the 2020 tax year. This is the fee to be charged to health insurance …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Trump Tries to Change the ACA, But Not The Employer Mandate [UPDATE]
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen3 minute read: President Trump announced his intent to make administrative changes to the Affordable Care Act in 2017 as part of this executive order, “Promoting Healthcare Choice and Competition …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
IRS, CMS, EBSA Seek Public Comment on ACA Change
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS, the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are seeking public comments on proposed regulations that would change the definition of …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Some Americans Able to Sign Up for Insurance Under the ACA Past December 15 Deadline
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenAs we wait for the latest statistics on the number of Americans who have signed up on government exchanges for healthcare insurance coverage for 2018, experts are predicting that the …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Efforts to Undermine the Start of Open Enrollment for 2018 Healthcare Coverage on November 1
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOpen enrollment for individuals to purchase healthcare coverage through government exchanges begins tomorrow and runs through December 15. Both advocates and opponents of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are anxious …
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Affordable Care Act
With ACA Open Enrollment Weeks Away, Trump Cancellation of CSR Payments Not Deterring Insurers
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenPerhaps only time will tell if President Trump can succeed where Republicans in Congress have failed to obliterate the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The President’s ambitious attempts to derail the …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Temporary Shutdowns of Healthcare.gov Termed ACA Sabotage
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIt’s become a bit of a sport. Websites and media outlets are tracking ways that the Trump administration has been working to undermine the Affordable Care Act. Organizations such as …
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ACA ReportingIRS
Independent of the Bipartisan Effort to Reform Healthcare, the IRS Continues to Enforce the ACA
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIn the wake of Congress being unable to pass ACA repeal and replace legislation, a bipartisan effort seems to be growing around improving the ACA. Indeed, a majority of Americans …
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ACA ComplianceIRS
IRS Still Moving Forward with ACA Compliance Enforcement for Employers
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS recently issued Notice 2017-38, which revealed the results of the Treasury Department’s review of all “significant tax regulations” per President Trump’s Executive Order 13789 issued in April 2017. …
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Health Care CoverageHealth Insurance Marketplace
Iowa Seeks Help From ACA During Healthcare Crisis
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenCome 2018, Iowa has the potential threat of losing health care provider options within their exchange for a significant number of residents. Now, the Iowa insurance commission is requesting a …
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Health Care CoverageHealth Insurance Marketplace
Deadline Nearing to Provide HHS Comments On How To Improve Health Insurance Markets
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWhile Congress has been discussing new directions for healthcare reform from the Affordable Care Act, President Trump has been talking about the death of that current healthcare law. However, as …
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Affordable Care Act
Will Trump Live Up To ‘MAGA’ With His Blueprint Budget Plan?
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenSince Day One, Donald Trump has vowed to “Make America Great Again,” a mantra that has followed him throughout the election and since his win—with MAGA hats on the heads …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Reform
Minnesota And Alaska Lead The Charge For State Healthcare Empowerment
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIn Trump’s plans for healthcare reform, individual states were a high priority in allowing more localized power from state-to-state. While the American American Healthcare Act (AHCA) has since collapsed, the …
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Health Care Coverage
These New Healthcare Staffers Were Added By The Trump Administration
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenHere’s a quick staffing update regarding new hires to come to the Department of Health and Human Services and the White House: The role of Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health …
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Affordable Care ActRegulations
New HHS Website Shows Regulations Geared Toward Bettering The ACA
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenPrior to the dismantling of the American Health Care Act (AHCA), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched a new website identifying aspects of the Affordable Care Act …
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IRSMedicaid
As IRS Section 1332 Support Continues, Can States Reform Healthcare On Their Own?
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenNow that the vote on the American Healthcare Act has been withdrawn, and its return highly unlikely, it would appear that the Affordable Care Act will continue to be the …
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ACA ReformHealth Care Coverage
President Trump Proposes New Rule To Stabilize ACA Marketplace
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenDetails on President Trump’s plans for an ACA repeal and replacement are finally coming to light. In a new proposed rule, the stabilization of the exchange is placed at the …
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Affordable Care Act
Does The Newly Revised HHS 2017 Calendar Suggest A Delayed ACA Repeal?
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWhile the Trump Administration’s proposed rule for market stabilization was circulated in the middle of February, also included were date changes for 2017 and 2018 by the Department of Health …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
The Fate Of The ACA In Kentucky
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWhile the Trump Administration is slowly putting the wheels in motion to repeal the Affordable Care Act, one state governor has been trying for over a year to do so …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care CoverageHealth Insurance Marketplace
The Last Day For ACA Enrollment Almost Went Unmarketed
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenHealthcare.gov has been hard at work informing consumers of a continuous countdown to the end of open enrollment, advising to sign up for 2017 Marketplace coverage ASAP. However, at the …
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ACA ComplianceIRS
Understanding Anti-Discrimination: The IRS Issues Final Rule
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIn the final rule from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, …
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ACA ComplianceAffordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Trump’s Executive Order on the ACA and Future Compliance Obligations
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOn his first day in office, Trump signed one of his first executive orders, entitled “Minimizing the Economic Burden of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Pending Repeal.” The …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Florida Governor Wants An ACA Repeal “As Quickly As Can Get It Done”
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOn December 19th, 2016, Florida Governor Rick Scott had a meeting with nominated Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Tom Price. While Scott and Price barely met …
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The IRS has released its adjusted figures for certain fees coming into the new year. The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee being one of them. The fee was started …
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Affordable Care ActMedicaid/Medicare
With Trump In, Is Medicare Out?
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenPresident-Elect Donald Trump has remained cavalier in his plans and directions for the healthcare of our nation. Throughout his campaign, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was targeted for repeal and …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Reform
Trump Picks Price and Verma to Lead the Charge to a Conservative Approach to Healthcare Reform
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenDonald Trump recently announced his pick of Rep. Tom Price (R-Georgia) to head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) quickly followed by his announcement of picking Seem Verma …
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Affordable Care Act
That Spike In Premium Rates Probably Won’t Affect Your Marketplace Plan
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenFear of premium hikes comes with good reason. As those looking to renew their health plans from the Federal Healthcare Insurance Marketplace Exchange (Federal Exchange) under the Affordable Care Act …
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Affordable Care ActRegulations
The Nondiscrimination Provision of the ACA: What To Know
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenFinal rules implementing Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act was published on May 18, 2016, and go into effect on July 18, 2016. However, any changes to applicable health …
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Affordable Care ActPolitical Parties
GOP Senate funds the ACA in 2017 joining Democrats
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIt comes as no surprise that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is favored more among Democrats than Republicans. However, perhaps the tides are changing, at least when it comes to …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
74,000 Selected Plans in Week 10
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenMore than 74,200 consumers selected Affordable Care Act health care plans through the Healthcare.gov online marketplace during the tenth week of open enrollment, according to the “weekly snapshot report” issued …