New SBC Template Generally Expected to Apply to Plan Years Beginning On or After April 1, 2017
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have released new Q&As regarding the applicable date for using the new Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) template and associated documents. Learn more.
Reminder: Certain Employers May Receive Marketplace Notices
Health Insurance Marketplaces are now sending letters to notify certain employers that one or more of their employees has been determined eligible for advance premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions and has enrolled in a Marketplace plan. Learn more.
Proposals May Impact Employer Liability Under 'Pay or Play'
The IRS has released a proposed rule addressing how opt-out arrangements are taken into account for purposes of determining whether an employer-sponsored group health plan offers affordable coverage. Learn more.
Healthcare.gov Cost Sharing Data Brief
Today, CMS released a new data brief showing that the median individual deductible for HealthCare.gov Marketplace policies (after taking into account cost-sharing reductions) in 2016 is $850, down from $900 in 2015. Read more.
Highmark Update - CPA WPA WV NEPA
Individual Market and CMS webinars for producers utilizing the Federally Facilitated Marketplace (FFM). Read more.
Capital BlueCross | New Incentive+ Producer Program
Capital BlueCross’ popular Incentive+ Program is back. Read more.
Aetna | Tools to help you sell in PA, DE and WV
Aetna Funding Advantage is a health insurance solution that thinks bigger. It’s similar to the self-funded plans traditionally offered to larger companies, but designed with your smaller clients in mind (10-50 in PA and WV/16-50 in DE). Read more.
Top Republicans Call For Major Obamacare Changes To Bring Down Premiums
GOP lawmakers slammed the administration for the premium increases seen following Affordable Care Act’s implementation six years ago, calling for major policy changes during a House Committee on Ways and Means hearing Tuesday. Read more.
Insured small-group plan count drops 25% in two years
Health insurers are having a hard time hanging on to small-group business, according to new figures from Mark Farrah Associates. Read more.
Inaccurate Provider Lists A Major Barrier To Care, Study Finds
Provider directories for some health plans sold through Covered California and in the private market are so inaccurate that they create an “awful” situation for consumers trying to find doctors, according to the lead author of a new study published in the journal Health Affairs. Read more.
Indemnity health insurers win major ACA court fight
A federal appeals court says the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has no authority under the Affordable Care Act to regulate how consumers use fixed indemnity health insurance or other "excepted benefits" products. Read more.
ACA in 2016: 10 changes to the Affordable Care Act
Although the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, there has been a timeline of implementation — with some components being immediately implemented, while others have been implemented over time in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. Read more.
10 steps to take now in advance of the DOL’s overtime rule
These steps, from Mercer’s Cathy Shepard and Leslie Csonka, will help employers prepare for the DOL’s final overtime regulations scheduled to take effect Dec. 1. Read more.
3 new wellness tech tools to watch
To boost wellness efforts among employees, employers have to think a little outside the box. Read more.
How draft ACA tax regulations could affect your clients
The Internal Revenue Service is preparing to post a batch of draft regulations that could answer questions for some Affordable Care Act premium tax credit users while creating obstacles for individuals and employers who were hoping to wiggle through ACA loopholes. Read more.
Lancaster law firm collaborates on survey tool for medical practices
Think about your last doctor appointment. Did you wait long to be seen by the doctor? Read more.
Energy & Commerce and Ways & Means Highlight Obama Admin’s Unprecedented Obstruction to Withhold Facts On Billions In Illegal Obamacare Payments
The House Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), and the House Ways and Means Committee, chaired by Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX), today released a new report, entitled, “Joint Congressional Investigative Report into the Source of Funding for the ACA’s Cost Sharing Reduction Program.” Read more.
Health Care Briefs for July 4 - 8, 2016
Surprise Medical Bills! The Wall Street Journal reports that the growth of insurance plans built around small networks of health-care providers is fueling new fights over surprise medical bills, when patients inadvertently get care from out-of-network doctors. Read more.
Summary of CMS agent/broker specific emails for week of July 4
This weekly email summarizes the content of emails distributed by CMS to agents and brokers during the preceding week to keep you up-to-date on the Federally-facilitated Marketplaces (FFMs). Read more.
New Information Available on REGTAP
View library updates on REGTAP. Read more.
Earn up to 3 CE's at our CPAHU Meeting on July 26th
CPAHU is holding a 3 CE meeting July 26, 2016 at the URL offices in Harrisburg, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Topics include: "The Future of Group Insurance" and legislative update by Vince Phillip, "The Changing Worksite Benefits Market" by Elsie Fairchild, BenEchoice Enrollment Solutions, and "The Pharmacy Benefit: An Industry Update" by Joe Reardon, Serve You Custom Rx Management. Register now.
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. Register once and you'll be signed up for all of the 2016 Weekly PPACA Conference Calls. Register now.
Weekly PPACA Conference Call Archives
Click here to view the archived recordings of the PPACA Conference Calls.
