Congress 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 …
Healthcare
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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 …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
ACA Is Benefiting Minorities
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe Affordable Care Act has significantly improved access to healthcare for African-Americans and Latinos, with those groups benefiting slightly more whites, according to a study published in a medical journal. …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care CoveragePolitical Parties
How Will The Newly Insured Vote?
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenAs millions of Americans have gained health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, analysts are pondering whether this change in status will have implications on how these individuals vote. …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Week 4 Plan Selections Near 395,000
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe Healthcare.gov online marketplace was used by 394,732 consumers to select insurance plans during the fourth week of open enrollment, according to the “weekly snapshot report” issued by the Department …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care CoverageMedicaid/Medicare
Slower Growth in National Health Spending
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenPer-capita health care spending grew by 4.5% in 2014, and overall health spending grew by 5.3%, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), a slower rates of …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
10% of Big Nonprofits Seek Contraception Waivers
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOne in 10 nonprofit organizations that have more than 1,000 employees have asked for an “accommodation” to the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that health plans include coverage for contraception. Federal …
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Health Care CoverageHealth Insurance Marketplace
Five Facts about Deductibles
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenConsumers who shop for coverage at HealthCare. gov have a variety of plans from which to choose, allowing them to find a plan that meets their health needs and budget. …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Week 2 Plan Selections Top 500,000
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe Healthcare.gov online marketplace was used by 534,778 consumers to select insurance plans during the second week of open enrollment, according to the “weekly snapshot report” issued by the Department …
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Affordable Care ActRegulations
Final Regulations Issued for ACA Market Reforms
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIn a 379-page document, the , the Labor Department and the Department and Human Services jointly issued finalized regulations on half a dozen topics related to the Act. The regulations …
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Most primary care doctors report that the Affordable Care Act has caused no change in their ability to provide quality care, although like the general population their opinions about the …
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Affordable Care ActDepartment and Human Services (HHS)
HHS Will Test Bundled Fee for Joint Replacements
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenA unit the Department and Human Services (HHS) will test bundled and quality for hip and knee replacement, beginning April 1, 2016. The test is aimed at encouraging hospitals, physicians …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Millions Use Healthcare.gov in Week 1
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenAlmost 3.2 million consumers used the website during the first open for Act , the Department and Human Services announced in its initial weekly “snapshot” report for the current . …
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Affordable Care ActApplicable Large Employer (ALE)
IRS Posts Information for Large Employers
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe Internal Revenue Services has added a page to its website which centralizes information to help “applicable large employers” comply with provisions of the Affordable Care Act. An applicable large …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care CoverageLegislationRegulations
Tax Considerations During Open Enrollment
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe is alerting consumers to three matters they should consider while purchasing or renewing via an online . When a consumer applies for assistance to help pay the premiums for …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care CoverageRegulations
Mid-Size Companies Must Offer Coverage in 2016
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenEmployers with 50 to 99 full-time workers, or full-time equivalents, will be required to offer Affordable Care Act-compliant health insurance in 2016. Companies with 100 or more employees (or FTEs), …
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Affordable Care ActLegislationRegulations
ACA Automatic Enrollment Repealed
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe “automatic enrollment” provision of the Affordable Care Act, never enforced, has been repealed under the budget deal hammered out between Congress and the White House and signed into law …
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Health Care CoverageHealth Insurance Marketplace
Premiums For Key Plans Up An Average Of 7.5%
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenPremiums will increase an average 7.5% for the second-lowest- silver insurance plans offered next year in the 37 states where the federal government operates marketplaces, according to a Kaiser Foundation …
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Health Care CoveragePrescription Drugs
Prescription Drug Costs Are Top Issue For Public
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWith presidential candidates in both parties proposing changes to the nation’s health care system, most consumers are much more interested in the cost of prescription drugs, according to a poll …
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The third annual open enrollment period for Affordable Care Act insurance coverage begins November 1, continuing through January 31. The federal government and many states are launching public information campaigns …
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ACA ComplianceAffordable Care ActApplicable Large Employer (ALE)Health Care CoverageMinimum Essential Coverage
How To Know If Coverage Meets ACA Requirements
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenUnder the Affordable Care Act, employers with 50 or more full-time or full-time equivalent employees – called applicable large employers, or ALEs – are subject to the employer shared responsibility …
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Health Care CoveragePolls/Surveys
Deductibles Causing Patients to Delay Care
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenEmergency room physicians say more of the patients they see have delayed seeking medical care despite having health insurance, because of high out-of-pocket expenses, high deductibles or high co-insurance. In …
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The IRS reminded employers, insurance providers and other entities that provide coverage under the Affordable Care Act of their reporting obligations under the ACA and the 2016 deadlines for submitting …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Pennsylvania Limits Premium Hikes on ACA Plans
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenPennsylvania’s insurance regulator has rolled back the health insurance premium increases some of the state’s largest insurers had requested for plans that will be sold on its marketplace in 2016. …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Health Program Launched for Low-Income New Yorkers
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenNew York State has introduced a new affordable health insurance plan designed for low-income residents who make too much money to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to afford private …
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The Department of Health and Human Services set a goal for 2016 of signing up 10 million Americans for health insurance through state and federal marketplaces established under the Affordable …
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Affordable Care ActRegulations
How Income Affects The Premium Tax Credit
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe IRS has issued advice to help individuals understand how their household income can affect the Affordable Care Act premium tax credit they may receive on health insurance policies purchased …
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The Department of Health and Human Services announced $685 million in awards aimed at improving quality of care and reducing costs. The money will go to health care networks and …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Uninsured Rate is 9.2%, a Record Low
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOnly 9.2% of Americans are without health insurance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. This is the lowest rate since the CDC began keeping records in 1972. The …