New FAQ on Including Additional Marketplace Coverage Information in COBRA Election Notice

A new Affordable Care Act FAQ clarifies that plan administrators may add more information about Health Insurance Marketplace coverage to the COBRA Election Notice used to inform eligible employees and dependents of the right to continue coverage and how to make a coverage election when a qualifying event occurs. Learn more.

Employers Face Significant Penalties for ACA Information Reporting Failures

With the deadline to electronically file Affordable Care Act (ACA) information returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) fast approaching, employers are reminded that failure to comply with the law's information reporting requirements may result in significant penalties. Learn more.

Highmark Updates

This Highmark Update covers the following topics: 2016 Small Group Advance Option, Blue Edge Dental rate cards are now available, New to Highmark quotes on Blue Edge Dental now available on Plan Advisor 2.0, and four new Value Suite plan options, CMS is hosting a webinar on Special Enrollment Period changes in 2016. Read more.

Minnesota’s Largest Health Insurer To Drop Individual Plans

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota will retreat from the sale of health plans to individuals and families in the state starting next year. The insurer, Minnesota’s largest, said extraordinary financial losses drove the decision. Read more.

Republicans' new ACA replacer, dissected

Republicans have included a number of provisions that could cause problems for health insurers in a new proposal for replacing the Affordable Care Act. Read more.

Boustany-backed Obamacare exception for small businesses heads to Senate

U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany's plan to end Obamacare penalties against small businesses that cover out-of-pocket medical costs for employees is headed to the Senate after it sailed through the House this week. Read more.

Supreme Court decision deals blow to health coverage efforts in California

The Supreme Court decision Thursday effectively blocking President Obama’s immigration programs also comes as a blow to California legislators who have been fighting to offer health insurance to people living in the country illegally. Read more.

9 FAQs about the DOL’s overtime rule

Last month, we discussed the U.S. Department of Labor’s recently published final rule making changes to the so-called “white collar” overtime exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Read more.

The unintended consequences of spousal exclusions

Last July, in “The alternative to health plan spousal exclusions,” we discussed the growing spousal exclusion trend and shared a gentler, more efficient technique to consider. Read more.

Why HSA contributions are becoming as important as a 401(k) match

High-deductible health plans are increasingly become commonplace and more and more employees are investing in health savings accounts as a result. Read more.

House may vote on big HSA deduction increase

The U.S. House could vote this week on H.R. 1270, a legislative package that could lead to a big increase in health savings account deduction limits and require more moderate-income health insurance exchange users to send excess premium subsidy money back to the government. Read more.

Health Care Briefs for June 20 - 24, 2016

Feds Will Use Tax Penalty Data To Find Uninsured Millennials. With time running out for the Obama administration to prove the success of the Affordable Care Act, officials are aggressively targeting a group that could help turn things around: young people. Read more.

Agents/Brokers: New Resources From the FFM Agent and Broker Program

CMS has posted a number of new resources to the Agents and Brokers Resources webpage. Some of the resources below provide information about CMS’ preparations for plan year 2017. Read more.

Agents/Brokers: News for Federally-facilitated Marketplace Agents and Brokers - June 2016 Edition

An electronic source of information for Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM) Agents and Brokers. Read more.

Update: Agents and Broker June 29th SEP Verification Process

The purpose of the 6/29 webinar is to provide agents and brokers with information on the new SEP verification requirement, as well as how agents and brokers can help consumers understand the requirement and submit documents if it applies to them. Read more.

CPAHU CE Meeting July 26, 2016

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.