2014 Healthcare Symposium

On July 25, the Central Penn Business Journal will host the 2014 Healthcare Symposium at the Sheraton Harrisburg-Hershey hotel. Topics include: Consumer involvement with healthcare decisions, Plan options for employers, How employers are keeping costs down and keeping employees healthy, How hospitals and Health Systems are aligning with physicians, insurers and each other. Click here to learn more and get tickets.

Thousands to Be Questioned on Eligibility for Health Insurance Subsidies

The Obama administration is contacting hundreds of thousands of people with subsidized health insurance to resolve questions about their eligibility, as consumer advocates express concern that many will be required to repay some or all of the subsidies. Click here to read more.

Special Enrollment Periods and Hardship Exemptions for Persons Meeting Certain Criteria

This guidance provides information related to three types of special enrollment periods (SEPs) for persons seeking to enroll in qualified health plans (QHPs) through the Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM). Click here to read more.

*Don’t Forget about the COBRA Special Election Period!

Broker e-bulletin - IRS publications on the ACA and more

Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania (BCNEPA) is committed to keeping you informed about changes that may affect you and your clients. We are pleased to share another edition of BCNEPA's monthly Broker e-bulletin. Click here to read more.

Aetna and Coventry Health Plans MLR Filings

The Minimum Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) provision of the Affordable Care Act sets minimum percentages that health plans must spend on medical costs and quality improvement activities. Click here to read more.

Banet's Bullet: Commission Delay

We have just been advised by IBC that this month's commissions have been delayed. Rollover of commission processing to the Highmark system has resulted in commissions not being paid, as well as duplicate payments. Click here to read more.

Summer CE Sizzlers from Phillips Associates

Phillips Associates is offering continuing education classes in July and August. Please see the attached brochure for dates, time, locations and course content. Completed registration forms can be faxed to 717/732-7255 to reserve your space. Click here to read more.

Find Opportunities Outside of ACA Enrollment

The window may be closed, but we're about to open doors. Did you know options exist for those that missed the enrollment deadline and for those that are struggling with high-deductible exchange plans? Click here to read more.

Weekly PPACA Update Conference Call

In a continuing effort to assist our agent-partners in getting the information needed to flourish within the under 65 group and individual markets in Pennsylvania, we are holding weekly live webinars. They will serve as a place to get your questions answered and discuss topics and strategies that will lead to your continued success in the health insurance market. Click here to register.

Weekly PPACA Conference Call Archives

Click here to view the archived recordings of the PPACA Conference Calls.

IRS Premium Tax Credit Information

Click here to download the Presentation Slides.

Click here to download the Resources.

Say What? Many Patients Struggling To Learn The Foreign Language Of Health Insurance

As soon as Deb Emerson, a former high school teacher from Oroville, Calif., bought a health plan in January through the state’s insurance exchange, she felt overwhelmed. Click here to read more.

Midstate hospitals still less costly than rest of Pa.

Hospitals here charge less for 16 common medical conditions and procedures than hospitals in other parts of the state, according to the latest report from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council. Click here to read more.

Insurers will propose changes to Obama health law

Insurers want to change President Barack Obama's health care law to provide financial assistance for people buying bare-bones coverage. That would entice the healthy and the young, the industry says, holding down premiums. Click here to read more.

Single-carrier exchanges expected to surge

Forget big. Carriers are thinking small — at least when it comes to the exchanges. Array Health says that single-carrier, proprietary exchanges will be the next big thing in the marketplace in a few years. Click here to read more.

Insurers wait for PPACA comp cap regulations

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) could come out with regulations affecting the pay of employees at health insurance companies any day now. The regulations would implement Section 162(m)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). Click here to read more.

Mass. repeals state pay-or-play regulations

The state of Massachusetts officially repealed the employer pay-or-play regulations that were part of its landmark 2006 health care reform law. Similar to the employer mandate in the Affordable Care Act, the state statute required employers of a certain size to either offer health care coverage to their employees or pay a fine. Click here to read more.

Can employers dump workers to health exchanges? Yes, for a price

How to expand Americans’ health insurance choices under the Affordable Care Act without sabotaging employer coverage? The Obama administration is still working to get the balance right. Click here to read more.

NAHU Washington Update: Hearings on the Hill

Despite the shock wave that hit Capitol Hill this week as news of Eric Cantor losing his primary battle and stepping down as majority leader broke, the hearings on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) continued as usual. Click here to read more.

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