HealthCare.gov Is Given an Overhaul

The Obama administration is redesigning HealthCare.gov and says that 70 percent of consumers will be able to use a shorter, simpler online application form to buy health insurance when the second annual open enrollment period begins in mid-November. Click here to read more.

IRS Issues New Instructions for Obamacare

The Internal Revenue Service has issued new draft instructions, notices and a publication to help taxpayers and tax practitioners deal with the Affordable Care Act. Click here to read more.

Producer Update 9/22/2014 - Reminder: UPMC AnywhereCare

Remember to include UPMC AnywhereCare in your discussions with employer groups and individuals as an alternate way, when appropriate, to seek medical care from UPMC. Click here to read more.

Highmark MyBenefits Update - New Menu Style of Plans for All Group Sizes

A new menu style for medical plans is now available on the MyBenefits Forms and Materials website for Oct. 1, 2014 effective dates . MyBenefits has moved to a new format for all new and renewing western and central Pennsylvania group clients (10 or more enrolled employees), giving them more plan choices as Highmark continues to expand and evolve MyBenefits to suit market needs. Click here to read more.

Join Distribution Administration for the Fall Agency Strategy Session

Please join us for the Fall Agency Strategy Session on Tuesday, Oct. 14. Located at the Pittsburgh Marriott North. Please RSVP by Tuesday, Oct. 7.Click here to register now.

Get reacquainted with Capital BlueCross Individual Plans for 2015!

Where: Colonial Golf and Tennis Club, 4901 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg, PA 17112
When: Wednesday, October 29th
Time: 9AM – 11AM
Click here to register now.

PrimePay Broker Webinar Series - October 2014

Last October, the IRS made an announcement that would cause an enormous, positive impact for Flexible Spending Plans - the addition of the $500 Rollover Provision. Numerous employers have taken the necessary steps to add this provision into their plans, but many employers will need to make this decision before their Plan Year comes to an end. Click here to read more.

Register Now for 2015 Group Product Webinar from Capital BlueCross

Join us for a 90 minute course designed to get you familiar with our newest products. From the comfort of your home or office, learn about the changes to the Capital BlueCross family of companies 2015 group benefit offerings for medical, Rx, dental and vision products. Additionally, we will cover group communication and renewal mapping. 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.

Assurant Health

FFM Certs should be forwarded to dennis.besler.jr@assurant.com.

FFM Certificate needed to sell Aetna in 2015

For the upcoming Open Enrollment Aetna will require a copy of the brokers FFM certificate in order to sell and be paid commissions on marketplace plans. Below I have included some information on how you and the agents can submit their certificates. Click here to read more.

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield

Submit your certifications for completing the 2015 FFM and FF-SHOP trainings to Highmark through the Sales Sentinel site. Click here to read more.

Correct link to submit CMS training certifications.

Highmark Blue Shield

Submit your certifications for completing the 2015 FFM and FF-SHOP trainings to Highmark through the Sales Sentinel site. Click here to read more.

Correct link to submit CMS training certifications.

UPMC Health Plan

2015 FFM Certificates of Completion can be emailed to producerrelations@upmc.edu.

Geisinger Health Plan

2015 FFM Certificates of Completion can be emailed to GHPBrokerLicensing@thehealthplan.com.

Capital Blue Cross

Producers who have completed the training and registration process to sell on the Marketplace should email copies of their certificates and their FFM User ID to cbcproducerlicensing@capbluecross.com or fax them to 717-540-2282. Producers who need to complete the training and registration can reference the Producers in the Federally Funded Marketplace attachment.

Blue Cross Northeastern PA

Producers who have completed the FFM certification will receive a “Certificate of Completion.” E-mail a copy of that certificate and the National Producer Number (NPN) that was used to register with CMS to Broker.Submission@bcnepa.com and Kerri.McKeown@bcnepa.com.

Banet's Bullet: 2015 IBC Commercial Sales Sentinel program for David M. Banet & Associates

Obamacare Website Costs Exceed $2 Billion, Study Finds

The federal government’s Obamacare enrollment system has cost about $2.1 billion so far, according to a Bloomberg Government analysis of contracts related to the project. Click here to read more.

Who’s Offering What Benefits? (SHRM Survey)

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) released its 2014 Employee Benefits Survey at its recent Annual Conference and Exposition in Orlando. The findings are helpful for determining what benefits are commonly offered and which ones you might want to consider. Click here to read more.

NAHU Washington Update: New Employer Reporting Bill

On Thursday, September 18, Representative Diane Black (R-TN) introduced the Streamlining Verification for Americans Act to make the health reform law’s employer reporting requirements and subsidy verification process simpler and more effective. Click here to read more.

Find out what your doctor visit SHOULD cost

These days, more and more families are on high deductible health care plans, where you pay the full tab out of an HSA, rather than just an office co-pay. So wouldn't it be nice to know in advance what that appointment will cost? Click here to read more.

Study: 2.7M children could lose CHIP benefits

As many as 2.7 million children could lose health coverage or benefits next year if Congress does not renew the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), according to a study by the conservative American Action Forum. Click here to read more.

Government hackers try to crack HealthCare.gov

The government's own watchdogs tried to hack into HealthCare.gov earlier this year and found what they termed a critical vulnerability - but also came away with respect for some of the health insurance site's security features. Those are among the conclusions of a report being released Tuesday by the Health and Human Services Department inspector general, who focuses on health care fraud. Click here to read more.

PPACA crackdown on carriers saves billions

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s rules regulating carriers may have not have benefited the health insurance industry but they've yielded nearly $3 billion in savings to consumers in the last two years, the Obama administration said. Click here to read more.

IRS Gears Up for Impact of Health Care Reform on Tax Season

Internal Revenue Service commissioner John Koskinen told a congressional subcommittee about the IRS’s progress on the Affordable Care Act and the impact that tax subsidies will have next tax season. Click here to read more.

Final Rules on Exchange Re-Enrollment Released

It's hard to imagine a three-day weekend without the federal government releasing a final rule. In true form, last week the Obama Administration finalized the 2015 Re-Enrollment Rule. You may remember that NAHU submitted comments on the proposed rule just after Annual Convention. Click here to read more.

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