The IRS has issued an explanation of which U.S. citizens and foreign nationals are subject to the individual shared responsibility provision of the Affordable Care Act, or the “individual mandate.” …
Regulations
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Cadillac TaxRegulations
IRS Asks For Comments on New “Cadillac Tax” Rules
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe Internal Revenue Service has identified additional issues under Code Section 4980I, commonly known as the “Cadillac Plan” excise tax, and is proposing new regulations to deal with them. The …
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A Wyoming Indian tribe lost a legal bid to be exempted from the employer mandate of the Affordable Care Act, and must provide health insurance to all of its employees. …
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The IRS issued a reminder that individuals who received advance payments of the Premium Tax Credit (PTC) in 2014, for insurance they purchased through a marketplace or exchange, should file …
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LegislationRegulationsUncategorized
IRS on Employer Shared Responsibility Provisions
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe Internal Revenue Service has issued a reminder to employers about specific “shared responsibility” provisions of the Affordable Care Act that may affect them. The size and structure of a …
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New reporting requirements mandated by the Affordable Care Act are posing challenges to large and small companies, and most employers have made little progress on deciding on or implementing a …
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LegislationRegulations
California Health Insurance Rates To Rise By 4%
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenCalifornia’s Affordable Care Act exchange, known as Covered California, has negotiated an average 4% increase in premiums for the 1.3 million residents of the state who buy individual insurance through …
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The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a reminder that all employers that provide self-insured health coverage, must file an annual return reporting certain information for each employee they cover. If …
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Affordable Care ActLegislationRegulations
ACA Offers Help For Informal Caregivers
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenMillions of Americans who provide unpaid care for ill, disabled or aged family members or friends can now get help through the Affordable Care Act for their own physical and …
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Despite a few glitches, the Internal Revenue Service says, the agency’s staff did a “commendable” job implementing provisions of the Affordable Care Act. The most significant new challenge the IRS …
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LegislationRegulations
New Rules on Religious Objections to Birth Control
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe Obama administration has unveiled new rules aiming to address religious objections by to providing birth control to female employees as required by the Act.
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EditorialsLegislationRegulations
Impact of ‘King’ on Applicable Large Employers
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenImpact of ‘King’ on Applicable Large Employers The Supreme Court’s decision in ‘King v. Burwell’ had ramifications for “applicable large employers” that went beyond approving payment of insurance subsidies in …
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Time’s Up on Premium Reimbursement The IRS has taken a hard position on employer payment plans under the ACA, and now the time is up for small employers to comply. …
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RegulationsUncategorized
College’s Objection to Contraception Coverage Is Denied
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe US Court of Appeals has denied a religious college’s request to bar the government from enforcing the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that insurance plans cover the cost of all …
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Information is now available online for 11.4 million financial transactions paid by drug and medical device suppliers to 600,000 physicians and 1,100 teaching hospitals. The payments total $6.49 billion. The …
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LegislationRegulations
After ‘King’ Ruling, States Look at Medicaid Expansion
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenNow that the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the administration’s position in the ‘King v. Burwell’ case, supporting the legality of Affordable Care Act subsidies in all states, …
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The federal agencies that regulate the Act issued a set Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to clarify the limits on cost-sharing under the ACA. For plan years beginning in 2016, the …
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The Internal Revenue Service issued revised regulations regarding the Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) that must be provided to those covered by health insurance plans. The SBC is intended …
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American Health Care Act (AHCA)Regulations
Americans Say Prescription Drug Costs Unreasonable
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenNearly three-quarters of the public (73%) think prescription drugs costs are unreasonable, and place the blame on pharmaceutical companies rather than health insurance companies, aKaiser Foundation poll found. Asked for …
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LegislationMinimum Essential CoverageRegulations
Article: Reporting 2015 Coverage of “MV-lite” Plans
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenSome employers have used “MV-lite” plans that offer very limited hospital and doctor benefits, yet technically satisfy the “minimum value” calculations of the government’s online calculator. These plans have been …
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California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said Anthem Blue Cross failed to justify premium increases averaging 8.7% on individual health insurance policies grandfathered under Affordable Care Act rules. According to the …
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who include wellness programs as their will get guidance the privacy rights participating employees in new rules proposed by the US Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC). The proposed rules, published …
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The Treasury Department has expanded for taxpayers who received incorrect 1095-A from the government after purchasing Affordable Care Act health insurance through a state online marketplace. The agency gave these …
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Some unscrupulous preparers are telling clients who owe payments to give the money to them rather than sending the payment with their , the said in a consumer advisory. Many …
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The Internal Revenue has issued a one-page guide for companies that must submit “ provider fee” reports during 2015.
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The IRS is giving extra to farmers and fishermen who missed this year’s March 2 deadline because they were sent incorrect premium tax credit 1095-A from the federal health insurance …
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The approximately 50,000 Americans who have filed tax returns using incorrect government-supplied data for their Affordable Care Act premium tax credit do not have to file amended returns, the Treasury …
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The Internal Revenue released temporary and proposed regulations aimed at clarifying which entities are excluded from being “covered entities” under Section 10 the Act. Covered entities are subject to an …
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By Joanna Kim, Executive Editor The Internal Revenue Service has published final versions of the forms and instructions that employers and insurers must use to meet their Affordable Care Act …
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The Internal Revenue Service issued a notice that small businesses may be eligible during a transition period for relief from potential tax penalties related to the Affordable Care Act. The …
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RegulationsUncategorized
New ACA Program Rewards Value of Care, not Volume
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenDoctors treating cancer patients will be paid based on the value of the care they deliver rather than the volume of services they provide, under a new Affordable Care Act …
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About 4.5 million more young adults are covered by health insurance now than in 2009 because the Affordable Care Act, according to a White House report. In 2009 nearly a …
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Following disclosures that private consumer information on Healthcare.gov was being shared with more than 30 private companies, the Obama administration curtailed outside access to the Affordable Care Act data. Privacy …
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The HealthCare.gov health insurance website shares some personal data about consumers with companies that sell advertising and data analytics services, the Associated Press reported. Administration officials said the companies are …
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Just over 400,000 consumers selected Affordable Care Act plans on the federal health insurance exchange during the eighth week of open enrollment, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) …
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The IRS and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are providing new resources to give answers to tax filers and tax preparers on questions they may have about …
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Regulations
California Requires Insurers To Have Sufficient Providers
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenCalifornia’s Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones issued an emergency regulation to establish stronger requirements for health insurers to maintain sufficient medical provider networks to provide timely access to medical care. CommissionerJones …
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Federal regulators have issued regulations that propose changes to the Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) that would be effective for plans beginning on or after September 1, 2015. The …
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The IRS announced yesterday (Nov. 21, 2014) that it has made it easier for those subject to the Act to qualify for an exemption from the rule requiring that an …
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RegulationsUncategorized
Administration Predicts Lower ACA Enrollment
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenObama administration officials say the number of Americans who will gain health coverage during 2015 through Affordable Care Act marketplaces will be about 30% lower than earlier estimates. Health and …
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Employer’s won’t be able to use so-called “skinny” health plans to meet coverage requirements of the Affordable Care Act, according to a notice issued Nov. 4 by the Internal Revenue …