In healthcare, the price of procedures can be discouragingly hard to obtain, and yet you may need to move forward regardless of your ability to pay. Continue Reading >
Healthcare Pricing Transparency Expectations + Communication
Category Archives: Affordable Care Act / Obamacare
Protecting Affordable Coverage for Employees Act (PACE)
On September 28, 2015 both sides of Congress came together to pass the Protecting Affordable Coverage for Employees (PACE) Act, an amendment to the ACA, which President Obama then signed. Continue Reading >
Self -Insured Protection Act SIPA Introduced in Congress to protect Self-Funded Health Insurance Plans
In the past few years, there has been legislation introduced in several states that has called for new rules that impose limits on self-funded insurance plans and the stop loss insurance that they buy. There is a fear that these self-funded plans will appeal to companies with healthier workers and, as a result, drive up premiums for businesses that remain in typical plans. Continue Reading >
The “Cadillac Tax” – What We Still Don’t Know About It
The “Cadillac Tax” is a 40% excise tax on health plans that exceed $10,200 for single coverage and $27,500 for family coverage. Learn more about the Cadillac Tax. Continue Reading >
Backdoor Regulation of Self-Funding | Stop-Loss + the ACA
When the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”), (now commonly referred to as the Affordable Care Act, the ACA, or "Obamacare") was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010, both the health benefits and health care industries were abuzz with rumor, conjecture, and fear. As the dust has settled, we who service these industries have begun to appreciate the real impact the law has had on both the provision of health care, as well as payment for that care. Continue Reading >
Impact of Mental Health & Substance Use on Self-insured Plans
The issue of mental health in the United State is significant. An estimated 26.2% of Americans ages 18 and older suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year according to the National Institute of Mental Health. So what should employers know about compliance and the cost associated with mental and substance abuse coverage? Continue Reading >
Be Aware of Hidden Obamacare Fees Effective in 2014
Three “hidden” fees being added to the cost of health insurance plans due to Obamacare.
- Health Insurance Industry Fee
- Reinsurance Assessment
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Comparative Effectiveness Research Fee
The Affordable Care Act Impact on Self-Funding Plans
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), better known as Obamacare, set to take effect January 1, 2014, will make sweeping policy changes to America’s health care and insurance industries. The self-funding niche of the health insurance market, where employers forgo premium payments and fund their own medical costs, was on track to survive relatively unscathed by the new taxes, requirements and restrictions created by the PPACA. However, self-funding and stop-loss insurance are increasingly attracting the attention of lawmakers. As a result of increasing regulation, the sanctuary that has been dubbed the “self-insurance loophole” is shrinking. Continue Reading >
