Sen. David Vitter has demanded that the IRS explain why Congress, with more than 12,000 employees and dependents, is classified as a “small business” for purposes of the Affordable Care …
2016 Presidential Election
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A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta ruled that four Catholic organizations were not “substantially burdened” by the procedure which allows religiously affiliated nonprofit …
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Affordable Care ActMedicaid
Wyoming’s Governor Loses on Medicaid Expansion
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenDespite vocal support by Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead, a Republican, the State Senate rejected a proposal to expand Medicaid. The vote means Wyoming will not receive $268 million in federal …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Reminder and How-To on Shared Responsibility Payments
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS issued a reminder that the Affordable Care Act requires individuals to have qualifying health care coverage, qualify for an exemption, or make a “shared responsibility payment” when filing their …
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Affordable Care ActCadillac Tax
“Cadillac Tax” Will Lower Premiums, CBO Says
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe so-called “Cadillac Tax” on high-cost employer-based health insurance plans that will be imposed starting in 2020 will result lower premium costs for the affected employees, and billions in additional …
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While most taxpayers will simply need to check a box on their tax returns to indicate they had health coverage for all of 2015, the IRS points out that there …
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Affordable Care Act
Former Governor Hopes to Save Kentucky’s Exchange
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenKentucky’s previous governor, Democrat Steve Beshear, has launched a statewide petition drive aimed at saving KYNECT, the state exchange implemented during his term, along with the state’s adoption of Medicaid …
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Despite high rates of chronic disease and poor health outcomes in the American south region, only seven of the 17 states in the region have adopted the Medicaid expansion made …
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Eight states showed “statistically significant” improvements during 2015 in the percentages of their working-age populations that have health insurance, according to a federal study. The states were Arizona, California, Colorado, …
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Affordable Care Act
Coverage Differences at Large and Small Companies
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIn 2006, the percentage of employees with ded Despite the changes in the health insurance market resulting from the Affordable cost_of_careCare Act, large differences remain in the insurance coverage offered …
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Many Americans signing up for new health care policies are receiving an unwelcome surprise: higher deductibles. Insurance plans, whether obtained through an employer or purchased individually via Affordable Care Act …
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Affordable Care Act
12.7 Million Select Plans During Open Enrollment
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenAbout 12.7 million consumers selected health insurance plans through the Health Insurance Marketplaces during the 13 weeks of Open Enrollment, the Department of Health and Human Services announced. Of the …
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Individuals may receive forms in the next few months which provide information about health care coverage they were offered during 2015. The forms are for use by these individuals when …
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California voters this November will have the opportunity to decide whether the state should control the cost of prescription drugs. The ballot proposition would require the state to negotiate prices …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care CoveragePolls/Surveys
Over 103,000 Selected Plans in Week 12
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenMore than 103,000 consumers selected Affordable Care Act health insurance plans through the Healthcare.gov online marketplace during the 12th week of open enrollment, according to the “weekly snapshot report” issued …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care CoverageLegislationPolitical PartiesPolls/Surveys
Voters Say The ACA Is Not a Key Issue
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWhile many Republicans in Congress and on the campaign trail vilify the Affordable Care Act, American voters across the country are not particularly focused on the health care law as …
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Affordable Care ActPolls/SurveysRegulations
Medicaid Enrollment and Efficiency Are Improving
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenState Medicaid and children’s health insurance programs have become significantly more efficient in their operations and more effective at enrolling those who qualify for coverage. As a result, more people …
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LegislationRegulations
2016 Massachusetts Insurance Mandate Penalties
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenMassachusetts residents who fail to comply with the state’s mandatory health insurance requirement – widely regarded as a model for the Affordable Care Act – may be subject to penalties …
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A year after federal regulators barred employers from offering so-called “skinny” Affordable Care Act health plans that did not pay for hospital stays, some employers are presenting workers with plans …
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More than 153,600 consumers selected Affordable Care Act health care plans through the Healthcare.gov online marketplace during the 11th week of open enrollment, according to the “weekly snapshot report” issued …
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The Supreme Court declined to consider a new constitutional challenge to the Affordable Care Act that was based on the way the law was enacted. The Pacific Legal Foundation, representing Iowa …
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Affordable Care ActPremium Tax Credit
Understanding The Premium Tax Credit
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIf you or anyone in your family enrolled in an Affordable Care Act health insurance plan through the federal Healthcare.gov health insurance marketplace or a state exchange, you may be …
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Affordable Care ActPolls/Surveys
High Deductibles Don’t Promote Price Shopping
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWill consumers make more cost-effective choices of health services and doctors if they are spending their own money? Common sense suggests they would, but researchers have found that consumers don’t …
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Affordable Care ActLawsuits
Kentucky To Shut Its Exchange, Contrary to Trend in Other GOP States
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenKentucky Gov. Matt Bevin has announced plans to shut down Kynect, the state’s highly successful marketplace for Affordable Care Act health insurance, and switch to the federal Healthcare.gov platform. The …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care CoverageIRSRegulations
Tools for Estimating ACA Credits and Fees
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS has developed tools for individuals and employers to estimate their credits and payments related to the Affordable Care Act . The tools, available online, provide only an estimate …
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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 …
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Health Care CoveragePrescription Drugs
Drug Makers Continue To Raise Prices
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenDespite criticism from patients, insurers and lawmakers, pharmaceutical companies have continued to increase the cost of drugs, with many hiking prices by 10% or more just before or after the New Year. …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Study: ACA Has No Effect on Hours Worked
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenShortly after the passage the Affordable Care Act, many economists predicted that the law would cause employers to slash workweeks to less than 30 hours, to avoid having to provide …
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Affordable Care ActApplicable Large Employer (ALE)Health Care Coverage
Are You an Applicable Large Employer?
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenBecause an applicable large employer (ALE) is subject to the Affordable Care Act’s requirements for information reporting and the health law’s employer shared responsibility provisions, the IRS has provided a …
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More than 83,000 consumers selected Affordable Care Act health care plans through the Healthcare.gov online marketplace during the ninth week of open enrollment, according to the “weekly snapshot report” issued …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care CoverageRegulations
New Features in the SHOP Marketplace
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Marketplace, which serves small employers who want to provide health and dental coverage to their employees, has added new features for 2016. To …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care CoverageRegulations
The ACA Individual Mandate and Your Tax Return
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe Affordable Care Act requires individuals, their spouses and dependents to have qualifying health care coverage for each month of the year; to qualify for a health coverage exemption; or …
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One in five (20%) working-age Americans with health insurance say problems paying medical bills often force them to work longer hours, take a second job, spend less on food, use …
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Nearly 275,000 consumers selected health care plans through the Healthcare.gov online marketplace during the eighth week of open enrollment, according to the “weekly snapshot report” issued by the Department of …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care CoverageIRS
Reporting Deadlines Extended
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS has extended by almost two months the due date for providing employees with Affordable Care Act information forms, and provided an extra three months for filing the required …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Medicaid and ACA Split the GOP
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenRepublicans in Congress are finding themselves in the awkward position of arguing against the Affordable Care Act and its expansion of Medicaid coverage at the same time that Republican governors …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care CoverageIRSTax Filings
About The New ACA Information Statements
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenRecognizing that many individuals will receive new ACA information statements for the first time in 2016, the IRS issued a memo aimed at helping consumers understand the documents. The explanation …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Medical Expenses a Burden for Low-Income Insureds
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe combined costs of premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses can exceed 20% of household income for some low-income individuals who purchase health insurance through an Affordable Care Act exchange, a …
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The IRS has issued Notice 2016-02 to provide information regarding the health coverage tax credit, or HCTC. The 14-page notice explains who can claim the HCTC, the amount of the …
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Affordable Care ActApplicable Large Employer (ALE)IRSPenalties
“Pay or Play” Penalties For 2015 and 2016
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS has announced the 2015 and 2016 “pay or play” penalties, adjusted for inflation, that may be imposed on employers who fail to comply with the Affordable Care Act’s …
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ACA ComplianceAffordable Care ActApplicable Large Employer (ALE)
Why the Number of Employees Matters
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenEmployer benefits, opportunities and requirements under the Affordable Care Act are all dependent upon the employer’s workforce size, the IRS points out. Generally, an employer with 50 or more full-time …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care CoverageTax Filings
The Information Employers Must Provide, and When
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS reminds employers that, beginning in 2016, the Affordable Care Act requires them and other providers of minimum essential coverage to report certain information about employees’ health coverage in …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
1.3 Million Sign Up in Week 6
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenMore than 1.3 million consumers signed up for health coverage through the Healthcare.gov online marketplace during the sixth week of open enrollment, according to the “weekly snapshot report” issued by …
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Affordable Care ActCadillac Tax
Congress Suspends “Cadillac” and Medical Device Taxes
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenCongress has delayed for two years implementation the Affordable Care Act’s controversial “Cadillac Tax” on costly plans, suspended for two years the on medical devices. The changes were included in …
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Health Care CoverageMedicaid/Medicare
Help for Shoppers Added To HealthCare.gov
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenNew consumer shopping aids are being made available to visitors to Healthcare.gov, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced. The new Out of Pocket Cost calculator, Doctor and …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Federal Fees Cause States to Consider Own Exchanges
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe prospect of stiff new fees for using the federal Healthcare.gov online marketplace is causing several states to consider launching their own Affordable Care Act platforms, despite some previous attempts …
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Affordable Care ActCovered CaliforniaHealth Care Coverage
California Targets Neighborhoods With High Rates Of Uninsured
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenCovered California, the state’s Affordable Care Act insurance exchange, is intensifying efforts to sign people up in areas of the state that have exceptionally high numbers of uninsured residents. It …
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The Healthcare.govonline marketplace was used by 804,338 consumers to select insurance plans during the fifth week of open enrollment, according to the “weekly snapshot report” issued by the Department of …
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Affordable Care ActApplicable Large Employer (ALE)
ACA Reporting Deadlines are Approaching
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS has issued a reminder of the deadlines for applicable large employers to file Affordable Care Act information reports, and pointed out that the requirements apply whether or not …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
When Insurance Can Be Excluded From Income
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenA memo from the IRS Chief Counsel clarifies when an employer’s payment for health insurance provided under a spouse’s group health plan can be excluded from the employee’s income. The …