More than 110 organizations statewide including civic groups, churches and physician groups have joined a Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas campaign to educate and enroll Texans who don't have health insurance. The goal is to reach all of the more than 6 million uninsured Texans "in the places they live, work, worship, text and tweet," Michelle Riddell, chair of the Be Covered Texas campaign and vice president of community investment for Richardson-based Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, told…
Reported by bizjournals 12 hours ago.
Blue Cross health insurance outreach campaign gaining ground
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Health insurance marketplaces will not be required to verify consumer claims
The Obama administration announced Friday that it would significantly scale back the health law’s requirements that new insurance marketplaces verify consumers’ income and health insurance status.
Instead, the federal government will rely more heavily on consumers’ self-reported information until 2015, when it plans to have stronger verification systems in place.
Read full article >>
Reported by Washington Post 5 hours ago.
Instead, the federal government will rely more heavily on consumers’ self-reported information until 2015, when it plans to have stronger verification systems in place.
Read full article >>
Reported by Washington Post 5 hours ago.
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Zane Benefits Publishes New Information on Standalone Health Reimbursement Arrangements
Pros and Cons of Standalone HRAs for Small Businesses and Employees
Park City, Utah (PRWEB) July 05, 2013
Today, Zane Benefits, the online alternative to group health insurance, published new information on the pros and cons of standalone Health Reimbursement Arrangements.
According to Zane Benefits’ website, as a small business evaluates how to offer employees health insurance, they will likely consider a standalone HRA. Standalone Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) are an IRS-approved vehicle that allows small businesses to provide employees with tax-free contributions to their individual health insurance premiums and out-of pocket medical expenses. With a stand-alone HRA, a small business offers employees a "business expense" type of health benefit, as an alternative to a traditional group health insurance plan. Stand-alone HRAs are also referred to as "pure" defined contribution plans.
Zane Benefits provides pros and cons for both the small business and employees.
Pros for Small Businesses: According to Zane Benefits’ website, the four main pros of standalone HRAs for small businesses are: flexibility, employer control, tax savings, and employee recruitment and retention.
The five main pros of standalone HRAs for employees are: the benefits of pre-tax dollars, choice of plans, plan portability, plan value, and federal premium tax subsidies in 2014.
According to Zane Benefits’ website, there are two cons for small businesses: A Change in benefits administration, and limited tax benefits for some owners.
Click here to read full article.
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About Zane Benefits
Zane Benefits was founded in 2006 to provide a revolutionized SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) administration platform ("ZaneHRA") for Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and defined contribution health care. The flagship software provides a 100% paperless administration experience to small businesses and insurance professionals that want to offer better health benefits without a traditional group health insurance plan at lower costs. For more information about ZaneHRA, visit http://www.zanebenefits.com. Reported by PRWeb 5 hours ago.
Park City, Utah (PRWEB) July 05, 2013
Today, Zane Benefits, the online alternative to group health insurance, published new information on the pros and cons of standalone Health Reimbursement Arrangements.
According to Zane Benefits’ website, as a small business evaluates how to offer employees health insurance, they will likely consider a standalone HRA. Standalone Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) are an IRS-approved vehicle that allows small businesses to provide employees with tax-free contributions to their individual health insurance premiums and out-of pocket medical expenses. With a stand-alone HRA, a small business offers employees a "business expense" type of health benefit, as an alternative to a traditional group health insurance plan. Stand-alone HRAs are also referred to as "pure" defined contribution plans.
Zane Benefits provides pros and cons for both the small business and employees.
Pros for Small Businesses: According to Zane Benefits’ website, the four main pros of standalone HRAs for small businesses are: flexibility, employer control, tax savings, and employee recruitment and retention.
The five main pros of standalone HRAs for employees are: the benefits of pre-tax dollars, choice of plans, plan portability, plan value, and federal premium tax subsidies in 2014.
According to Zane Benefits’ website, there are two cons for small businesses: A Change in benefits administration, and limited tax benefits for some owners.
Click here to read full article.
--
About Zane Benefits
Zane Benefits was founded in 2006 to provide a revolutionized SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) administration platform ("ZaneHRA") for Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and defined contribution health care. The flagship software provides a 100% paperless administration experience to small businesses and insurance professionals that want to offer better health benefits without a traditional group health insurance plan at lower costs. For more information about ZaneHRA, visit http://www.zanebenefits.com. Reported by PRWeb 5 hours ago.
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Minnesota insurance pool for hard-to-cover patients set to close in 2015
Minnesota officials have proposed closing a health insurance safety net in 2015 for people with costly pre-existing health conditions because it shouldn't be needed under the federal overhaul of the nation's health care system.
Reported by TwinCities.com 4 hours ago.
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How to understand your medical equipment insurance coverage
Health insurance companies can be frustrating, confusing and sometimes downright unfair.
Especially if you or your parents are aging or disabled, and need a piece of durable medical equipment. That's a piece of equipment that can range from a cane to a power chair to a hospital bed.
For Arnold and Elaine Hurwitz, losing his wheelchair was devastating.
"We couldn't take him to the doctor, we couldn't take him anyplace, he was home bound," said Elaine.
It was all because of something so simple, it could happen to anyone; a paperwork mix-up. Arnold's toe was amputated about a year ago because of poor circulation.
Medicare sent him a wheelchair, but the Hurwitz' decided they didn't need it, so they sent it back.
However, Medicare will only pay for a new wheelchair every five years, because the equipment is durable, and therefore supposed to last a designated amount of time; wheelchairs generally last about five years.
But now when Arnold needed one after both legs were amputated at about the knee, they found Medicare had no record the prior wheelchair had been returned.
"It was just a mess," said Elaine.
The bills kept piling up, with no money left to get a new wheelchair.
But Arnold's physical therapist told them about Stepping Stone Medical Equipment Bank.
"We pick up and refurbish medical equipment and distribute to either seniors or disabled adults in the Central Florida area," said Wayne Gardner, Senior Director of Stepping Stone, an organization under Seniors First, Inc.
"We said, 'Boy, this would be great' and 'I thought to myself, what is this going to cost? and how am I going to pay it?'," said Elaine.
But they didn't need to worry. Stepping Stone offers low or no cost medical equipment and they weren't going to have to pay a dime.
"Wayne found out that he was a veteran and he said, 'If you're a veteran, we're giving it to you'," Elaine said.
"When Elaine came over and told me, 'We don't have to pay, just the battery', I said, 'What are you, crazy?'," Arnold said. "I mean, who does that nowadays? But Stepping Stone did."
But the reality is, for most people, it's not that easy.
To get a prescription for a piece of medical equipment, you need to see your doctor-face-to-face; and you could have as little as 30 days to send that prescription in to your medical supply company.
That prescription, and supporting documentation from your physician, needs to say the equipment is "medically necessary," not just that it would be helpful or convenient.
For example, if you require a wheelchair, but still have the use of your arms, most insurances will only approve a traditional wheelchair. Even though a motorized, or power, chair may give you better quality of life or could really help you in your day-to-day tasks, if it isn't medically necessary, it often won't be approved.
Even if you are covered, you could still get stuck with huge costs out of pocket.
Insurance companies usually only cover 80 percent of the cost of the item, meaning you'll be stuck with the other 20 percent. That's often after your deductible.
It's also possible the medical supplier you use could want the money you're responsible up front. Even worse, some insurance companies require you to pay the full cost up front, to be reimbursed later.
The problem is, not many people, especially seniors, have that kind of cash on hand.
"The majority of people don't have $10, much less $1200 to $1,300," said Gardner.
He says that's why Stepping Stone does what it does.
"To have people have been told, 'No, you can't,' and they leave here saying, 'Yes, we could, and we did," Gardner said.
Elaine and Arnold said they don't know where they would be, were it not for the kindess of the organization.
"He can get up and go to the bathroom, he can go outside and get fresh air, we can take him for walks around the neighborhood," Elaine said. "What else can I say? God was good to us, he led us there."
Stepping Stone works largely off donations from the community. In fact, Elaine and Arnold were actually able to donate equipment Arnold no longer uses, like canes and walkers, back to the organization.
They have a certified technician on staff that cleans and refurbishes all the items, which is why Gardner said they're able to keep their prices so low.
If you would like to make a donation or would like to inquire about Stepping Stone's services, click here. Reported by Click Orlando 4 hours ago.
Especially if you or your parents are aging or disabled, and need a piece of durable medical equipment. That's a piece of equipment that can range from a cane to a power chair to a hospital bed.
For Arnold and Elaine Hurwitz, losing his wheelchair was devastating.
"We couldn't take him to the doctor, we couldn't take him anyplace, he was home bound," said Elaine.
It was all because of something so simple, it could happen to anyone; a paperwork mix-up. Arnold's toe was amputated about a year ago because of poor circulation.
Medicare sent him a wheelchair, but the Hurwitz' decided they didn't need it, so they sent it back.
However, Medicare will only pay for a new wheelchair every five years, because the equipment is durable, and therefore supposed to last a designated amount of time; wheelchairs generally last about five years.
But now when Arnold needed one after both legs were amputated at about the knee, they found Medicare had no record the prior wheelchair had been returned.
"It was just a mess," said Elaine.
The bills kept piling up, with no money left to get a new wheelchair.
But Arnold's physical therapist told them about Stepping Stone Medical Equipment Bank.
"We pick up and refurbish medical equipment and distribute to either seniors or disabled adults in the Central Florida area," said Wayne Gardner, Senior Director of Stepping Stone, an organization under Seniors First, Inc.
"We said, 'Boy, this would be great' and 'I thought to myself, what is this going to cost? and how am I going to pay it?'," said Elaine.
But they didn't need to worry. Stepping Stone offers low or no cost medical equipment and they weren't going to have to pay a dime.
"Wayne found out that he was a veteran and he said, 'If you're a veteran, we're giving it to you'," Elaine said.
"When Elaine came over and told me, 'We don't have to pay, just the battery', I said, 'What are you, crazy?'," Arnold said. "I mean, who does that nowadays? But Stepping Stone did."
But the reality is, for most people, it's not that easy.
To get a prescription for a piece of medical equipment, you need to see your doctor-face-to-face; and you could have as little as 30 days to send that prescription in to your medical supply company.
That prescription, and supporting documentation from your physician, needs to say the equipment is "medically necessary," not just that it would be helpful or convenient.
For example, if you require a wheelchair, but still have the use of your arms, most insurances will only approve a traditional wheelchair. Even though a motorized, or power, chair may give you better quality of life or could really help you in your day-to-day tasks, if it isn't medically necessary, it often won't be approved.
Even if you are covered, you could still get stuck with huge costs out of pocket.
Insurance companies usually only cover 80 percent of the cost of the item, meaning you'll be stuck with the other 20 percent. That's often after your deductible.
It's also possible the medical supplier you use could want the money you're responsible up front. Even worse, some insurance companies require you to pay the full cost up front, to be reimbursed later.
The problem is, not many people, especially seniors, have that kind of cash on hand.
"The majority of people don't have $10, much less $1200 to $1,300," said Gardner.
He says that's why Stepping Stone does what it does.
"To have people have been told, 'No, you can't,' and they leave here saying, 'Yes, we could, and we did," Gardner said.
Elaine and Arnold said they don't know where they would be, were it not for the kindess of the organization.
"He can get up and go to the bathroom, he can go outside and get fresh air, we can take him for walks around the neighborhood," Elaine said. "What else can I say? God was good to us, he led us there."
Stepping Stone works largely off donations from the community. In fact, Elaine and Arnold were actually able to donate equipment Arnold no longer uses, like canes and walkers, back to the organization.
They have a certified technician on staff that cleans and refurbishes all the items, which is why Gardner said they're able to keep their prices so low.
If you would like to make a donation or would like to inquire about Stepping Stone's services, click here. Reported by Click Orlando 4 hours ago.
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Health insurers fear young people will opt out
Dan Lopez rarely gets sick and hasn't been to a doctor in 10 years, so buying health insurance feels like a waste of money. Even after the federal health overhaul takes full effect next year, the 24-year-old said he will probably decide to pay the $100 penalty for those who skirt the law's requirement that all Americans purchase coverage.
Reported by detnews.com 2 hours ago.
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In N.J., hard to get word out about Obamacare marketplace
There may be an updated federal health insurance website, as well as 24/7 phone support, but it remains a question whether uninsured New Jersey residents will even know that subsidized health insurance is available for them to purchase, let alone that they are required to buy it.
Reported by philly.com 36 seconds ago.
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Obamacare Delay Troubles Both Unions And Republicans
* AFL-CIO says White House decision is "troubling"
* Business groups remain concerned about employer mandate
* Republicans want to know why they weren't informed sooner (Adds reaction, details)
By Caren Bohan and Yasmeen Abutaleb
WASHINGTON, July 3 (Reuters) - Republicans launched a fresh assault on "Obamacare" Wednesday, promising a congressional inquiry after the White House delayed a requirement for employer-provided health insurance until after the 2014 congressional elections.
Meanwhile, the AFL-CIO labor organization, which supports the health care law, asked that its own requests for changes be given the same consideration the White House has extended to employers.
That raises the prospect of numerous interest groups seeking to reopen previously settled disputes over the 2010 law.
The criticisms complicate White House efforts to boost public support for President Barack Obama's signature domestic policy achievement. The law's success depends in part on convincing millions of Americans to sign up for coverage.
The requirement that employers with 50 or more workers provide health coverage was set to begin at the start of 2014. Now the mandate will not begin until 2015.
The White House has said the delay for employers will not affect or delay the health exchanges that Americans will use to buy insurance.
"This is a demonstration of our willingness to work with the business community," said White House Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest, arguing that the delay should "inspire confidence" for that reason.
But a committee of the Republican-controlled House of Representatives wrote administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, asking why lawmakers were not informed sooner that the administration was considering delaying the requirement for employer-provided health insurance.
"Despite delays and missed deadlines, administration officials had repeatedly testified before Congress that they were still on schedule to implement the law," said Representative Fred Upton, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Whether or not an investigation promised by Upton's committee sheds light on the decision, it promises to prolong negative publicity about the law less than six months before it is to be rolled out.
In postponing the employer mandate on Tuesday, Upton said in a statement, the administration "admitted that wasn't the case, and it's clear we have no idea the full scope of delays and disarray that may be coming."
'CYNICAL PLOY'
Senator John Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican and leading critic of the health law, accused the administration of carrying out a "cynical ploy" with postponement of the employer mandate.
"The public already lacks confidence in the law and it seems that now the administration is finally admitting that this law is unworkable, unaffordable and continues to be very unpopular," Barrasso said.
Among Obama's supporters, the AFL-CIO, a staunch ally of the Democratic president, said it found the decision to postpone employer-provided coverage "troubling."
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka complained that while the White House showed willingness to provide flexibility for the business community, it appeared reluctant to make changes sought by labor.
He said he would press his concerns and hoped the administration would address them, "just as they have the concerns voiced by employers."
Business groups said they welcomed the postponement but remained concerned about the employer mandate.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said the delay would help avoid "serious near-term economic consequences of the health law," but it wanted to work with the administration to head off other potential problems.
The National Association of Manufacturers said in a blog post that the employer mandate was a bad idea from the start and the administration's move "simply delays the inevitable."
The delay complicates White House efforts to make the rollout of the health law look smooth, an already challenging task in part thanks to the continuing Republican campaign to discredit the program.
Jim Manley, a former aide to Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, said he was worried that the delay would give Republicans "another club to beat Democrats upside the head."
"There's no denying that this is a setback for the program. The perception is pretty bad," said Manley, who was involved in the effort to pass the law.
Several lawmakers, including some Democrats, had pressed the White House to consider a delay in the employer mandate. Among them was Senator Mark Begich, a Democrat in the Republican-leaning state of Alaska, who met with the White House last week to express his concerns about the law's implementation.
Begich has also written to top administration officials complaining that small businesses were overwhelmed and confused by complex information strewn across nearly 50 government websites. (Additional reporting by Steve Holland and Roberta Rampton Editing by Fred Barbash and Xavier Briand) Reported by Huffington Post 3 days ago.
* Business groups remain concerned about employer mandate
* Republicans want to know why they weren't informed sooner (Adds reaction, details)
By Caren Bohan and Yasmeen Abutaleb
WASHINGTON, July 3 (Reuters) - Republicans launched a fresh assault on "Obamacare" Wednesday, promising a congressional inquiry after the White House delayed a requirement for employer-provided health insurance until after the 2014 congressional elections.
Meanwhile, the AFL-CIO labor organization, which supports the health care law, asked that its own requests for changes be given the same consideration the White House has extended to employers.
That raises the prospect of numerous interest groups seeking to reopen previously settled disputes over the 2010 law.
The criticisms complicate White House efforts to boost public support for President Barack Obama's signature domestic policy achievement. The law's success depends in part on convincing millions of Americans to sign up for coverage.
The requirement that employers with 50 or more workers provide health coverage was set to begin at the start of 2014. Now the mandate will not begin until 2015.
The White House has said the delay for employers will not affect or delay the health exchanges that Americans will use to buy insurance.
"This is a demonstration of our willingness to work with the business community," said White House Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest, arguing that the delay should "inspire confidence" for that reason.
But a committee of the Republican-controlled House of Representatives wrote administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, asking why lawmakers were not informed sooner that the administration was considering delaying the requirement for employer-provided health insurance.
"Despite delays and missed deadlines, administration officials had repeatedly testified before Congress that they were still on schedule to implement the law," said Representative Fred Upton, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Whether or not an investigation promised by Upton's committee sheds light on the decision, it promises to prolong negative publicity about the law less than six months before it is to be rolled out.
In postponing the employer mandate on Tuesday, Upton said in a statement, the administration "admitted that wasn't the case, and it's clear we have no idea the full scope of delays and disarray that may be coming."
'CYNICAL PLOY'
Senator John Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican and leading critic of the health law, accused the administration of carrying out a "cynical ploy" with postponement of the employer mandate.
"The public already lacks confidence in the law and it seems that now the administration is finally admitting that this law is unworkable, unaffordable and continues to be very unpopular," Barrasso said.
Among Obama's supporters, the AFL-CIO, a staunch ally of the Democratic president, said it found the decision to postpone employer-provided coverage "troubling."
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka complained that while the White House showed willingness to provide flexibility for the business community, it appeared reluctant to make changes sought by labor.
He said he would press his concerns and hoped the administration would address them, "just as they have the concerns voiced by employers."
Business groups said they welcomed the postponement but remained concerned about the employer mandate.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said the delay would help avoid "serious near-term economic consequences of the health law," but it wanted to work with the administration to head off other potential problems.
The National Association of Manufacturers said in a blog post that the employer mandate was a bad idea from the start and the administration's move "simply delays the inevitable."
The delay complicates White House efforts to make the rollout of the health law look smooth, an already challenging task in part thanks to the continuing Republican campaign to discredit the program.
Jim Manley, a former aide to Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, said he was worried that the delay would give Republicans "another club to beat Democrats upside the head."
"There's no denying that this is a setback for the program. The perception is pretty bad," said Manley, who was involved in the effort to pass the law.
Several lawmakers, including some Democrats, had pressed the White House to consider a delay in the employer mandate. Among them was Senator Mark Begich, a Democrat in the Republican-leaning state of Alaska, who met with the White House last week to express his concerns about the law's implementation.
Begich has also written to top administration officials complaining that small businesses were overwhelmed and confused by complex information strewn across nearly 50 government websites. (Additional reporting by Steve Holland and Roberta Rampton Editing by Fred Barbash and Xavier Briand) Reported by Huffington Post 3 days ago.
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Health insurers fear young people will opt out
Health insurers fear young people will opt out
Associated Press
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Updated 8:37 am, Friday, July 5, 2013
Even after the federal health overhaul takes full effect next year, the 24-year-old said he will probably decide to pay the $100 penalty for those who skirt the law's requirement that all Americans purchase coverage. Because he makes too much to qualify for government subsidies, Lopez would pay a premium of about $3,000 a year if he chose to buy health insurance. Persuading young, healthy adults such as Lopez to buy insurance under the Affordable Care Act is becoming a major concern for insurance companies as they scramble to comply with the law, which prohibits them from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions and limits what they can charge to older policy holders. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that about six million people of various ages will pay the tax penalty for not having insurance in 2014, the first year the law championed by President Barack Obama will be fully implemented. Premiums for people aged 21 to 29 with single coverage who are not eligible for government subsidies would increase by 42 percent under the law, according to an analysis by actuaries at the consulting firm Oliver Wyman. Insurers including America's Health Insurance Plans and The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association recently wrote to federal health officials warning that they feared low enrollment by young adults and proposed beefed up penalties for opting out. "The key to keeping health care affordable is you really want to balance the pool, where you have enough young and healthy people to balance off the care of the older, sicker people who are likely to utilize much more health care services," said Justine Handelman, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association's vice president for legislative and regulatory policy. Many young adults have chosen relatively bare-bones health plans before the Affordable Care Act, but the new law requires all plans to offer a minimum set of benefits, thus raising the price for coverage. Health advocates note that many people who have difficulty affording health insurance now will qualify for federal subsidies. Reported by SeattlePI.com 2 days ago.
Associated Press
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Updated 8:37 am, Friday, July 5, 2013
Even after the federal health overhaul takes full effect next year, the 24-year-old said he will probably decide to pay the $100 penalty for those who skirt the law's requirement that all Americans purchase coverage. Because he makes too much to qualify for government subsidies, Lopez would pay a premium of about $3,000 a year if he chose to buy health insurance. Persuading young, healthy adults such as Lopez to buy insurance under the Affordable Care Act is becoming a major concern for insurance companies as they scramble to comply with the law, which prohibits them from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions and limits what they can charge to older policy holders. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that about six million people of various ages will pay the tax penalty for not having insurance in 2014, the first year the law championed by President Barack Obama will be fully implemented. Premiums for people aged 21 to 29 with single coverage who are not eligible for government subsidies would increase by 42 percent under the law, according to an analysis by actuaries at the consulting firm Oliver Wyman. Insurers including America's Health Insurance Plans and The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association recently wrote to federal health officials warning that they feared low enrollment by young adults and proposed beefed up penalties for opting out. "The key to keeping health care affordable is you really want to balance the pool, where you have enough young and healthy people to balance off the care of the older, sicker people who are likely to utilize much more health care services," said Justine Handelman, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association's vice president for legislative and regulatory policy. Many young adults have chosen relatively bare-bones health plans before the Affordable Care Act, but the new law requires all plans to offer a minimum set of benefits, thus raising the price for coverage. Health advocates note that many people who have difficulty affording health insurance now will qualify for federal subsidies. Reported by SeattlePI.com 2 days ago.
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Zane Benefits Publishes New Information on Defined Contribution Health Plans
Defined Contribution Health Plans Are Like 401(k) for Retirement Benefits
Park City, Utah (PRWEB) July 06, 2013
Today, Zane Benefits, the online alternative to group health insurance, published new information on the definition of defined contribution.
According to Zane Benefits’ website, the term defined contribution is a big buzzword in the health benefits industry. Zane Benefits provides a high-level, executive summary to concisely explain this emerging health benefits strategy.
Defined Benefit vs. Defined Contribution
According to Zane Benefits’ website, it is first important to start with a concept most people are familiar with. In the retirement space, defined contribution is a type of retirement savings plan in which the amount of the employer's annual contribution is specified, such as with a 401(k). Compare this to a pension plan where the employer specifies the benefit (a defined benefit).
In health care, the same logic is followed. A defined contribution health plan is a type of health plan in which the amount of the employer's annual contribution to employees' health care (and individual health insurance policies) is specified. Compare this to a group health plan where the employer specifies the group health insurance plan (again, a defined benefit).
How Defined Contribution Health Plans Work
According to Zane Benefits’ website, defined contribution health plans offer a new alternative to the defined benefit group health insurance plan. Just as employers realized the savings associated with moving away from defined benefit retirement pensions and toward 401(k)s, many businesses are applying this model to their health benefits programs.
Click here to read full article.
--
About Zane Benefits
Zane Benefits was founded in 2006 to provide a revolutionized SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) administration platform ("ZaneHRA") for Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and defined contribution health care. The flagship software provides a 100% paperless administration experience to small businesses and insurance professionals that want to offer better health benefits without a traditional group health insurance plan at lower costs. For more information about ZaneHRA, visit http://www.zanebenefits.com. Reported by PRWeb 19 hours ago.
Park City, Utah (PRWEB) July 06, 2013
Today, Zane Benefits, the online alternative to group health insurance, published new information on the definition of defined contribution.
According to Zane Benefits’ website, the term defined contribution is a big buzzword in the health benefits industry. Zane Benefits provides a high-level, executive summary to concisely explain this emerging health benefits strategy.
Defined Benefit vs. Defined Contribution
According to Zane Benefits’ website, it is first important to start with a concept most people are familiar with. In the retirement space, defined contribution is a type of retirement savings plan in which the amount of the employer's annual contribution is specified, such as with a 401(k). Compare this to a pension plan where the employer specifies the benefit (a defined benefit).
In health care, the same logic is followed. A defined contribution health plan is a type of health plan in which the amount of the employer's annual contribution to employees' health care (and individual health insurance policies) is specified. Compare this to a group health plan where the employer specifies the group health insurance plan (again, a defined benefit).
How Defined Contribution Health Plans Work
According to Zane Benefits’ website, defined contribution health plans offer a new alternative to the defined benefit group health insurance plan. Just as employers realized the savings associated with moving away from defined benefit retirement pensions and toward 401(k)s, many businesses are applying this model to their health benefits programs.
Click here to read full article.
--
About Zane Benefits
Zane Benefits was founded in 2006 to provide a revolutionized SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) administration platform ("ZaneHRA") for Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and defined contribution health care. The flagship software provides a 100% paperless administration experience to small businesses and insurance professionals that want to offer better health benefits without a traditional group health insurance plan at lower costs. For more information about ZaneHRA, visit http://www.zanebenefits.com. Reported by PRWeb 19 hours ago.
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Obamacare Will Be Judged On These Three Questions
Premiums, choice and consumer experience: How Obama's health law is faring on 3 key questionsWASHINGTON (AP) — Three months before uninsured people can start shopping for coverage, some big unknowns loom over President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.
The surprise announcement this past week that the White House is delaying a requirement that many employers offer coverage raised questions about other major parts of the biggest expansion of society's safety net since Medicare nearly 50 years ago.
One delay may not matter much in the end. People will judge Obama's law on three main points: premiums, choice and the overall consumer experience.
Only partial answers can be gleaned now, and they don't necessarily fall along predictable lines.
Basic economics suggests premiums will be higher than what many people who buy their own coverage pay now, especially the young and healthy. The new policies provide better benefits, and starting next year, insurers won't be able to turn away the sick. But the pocketbook impact will be eased by new tax credits and other features that people soon will discover.
As for choice, Obama's plan isn't likely to deliver the dozens of options available to seniors through Medicare. But limited choices may not be seen as a step backward because in most states the individual health insurance market is now dominated by a single insurer.
The consumer experience shopping online for insurance remains the biggest unknown — and a risk.
Squads of technology experts — federal, state, insurer and contractor employees — are trying mesh government and private computer systems together in ways that haven't been tried before. It may not feel like Amazon.com. Many people could default to enrolling the low-tech way, through call centers or even through the mail.
Health care politics divided the nation even before the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, and the law's full implementation four years later is shaping up as a tale of two Americas.
The rollout might go well in mostly Democratic states that prepared, while it clatters and clunks in mainly Republican ones that resisted Obama's law. Millions of poor people will be denied coverage next year because they live in states that are refusing the law's Medicaid expansion. But most workers now covered on the job should not see major changes.
With political strategists already honing health care attack lines for next year's congressional elections, a former U.S. health secretary has an admonition for both parties. Mike Leavitt put in place the Medicare prescription drug plan for President George W. Bush in 2006 and now heads a consulting firm that advises states on Obama's law.
"It's important for all of us to remember that it's not political parties who are affected in the long run, it's people," Leavitt said recently. "It will be millions of people ... many of whom are the less fortunate, and those who have dramatic health problems."
A closer look at the three big questions:
-PREMIUMS-
The Obama administration sees encouraging signs in states that have released premiums for next year, as well as from rates filed directly with the federal government but not yet publicly revealed.
"We are seeing increased choice and affordable premiums," said Mike Hash, head of the Department of Health and Human Services' health reform office.
But what will consumers see?
The data-crunching company Avalere Health found that in nine states that have released premiums, the rates appear to be lower than the Congressional Budget Office estimated when the law was being drafted in 2009.
But Avalere vice president Caroline Pearson acknowledges that doesn't represent the cost comparison a consumer might make. Most people who now buy policies individually could see an increase from what they're now paying.
"The benefit design is going to be richer than what is typically purchased and available today ... and the rules require insurers to sell a policy to whoever wants it, regardless of health status," she said.
That still doesn't get you to the bottom line because most consumers will be eligible for income-based tax credits to help pay premiums. The plan they pick also could make a big difference.
Jeremy Gilchrist, a self-employed meteorologist from Winooski, Vt., has been uninsured about four years. In his mid-30s, he's in good health, and he says he can't afford premiums on a skimpy budget.
"For most people, it's going to be a financial decision," Gilchrist said.
According to the online Kaiser Family Foundation's health reform subsidy calculator, Gilchrist would be eligible for a tax credit of nearly $2000 on a standard "silver" policy that costs $3,000, leaving him with $1,000 to pay.
But he can also take that $2,000 tax credit and use it to buy a cheaper policy called a "bronze" plan, leaving him with only about $500 to pay annually. The bronze plan meets the new requirement that virtually all people in the United States have health insurance. But if you get seriously sick or injured you'll wind up paying more out of your own pocket.
Still, the premium would come to $42 a month for Gilchrist. "The bronze plan would be lower than my car insurance," he said.
But wait.
If Gilchrist were a smoker, which he is not, the law would allow insurers to tack on a penalty of up to 50 percent of the premium.
With time, the decisions of millions of individual consumers will reveal a true bottom line.
___
-CHOICE-
The typical Medicare recipient has about 30 private insurance plans from which to choose. There may not be nearly as much choice for families and individuals under the health care law. How much that will matter remains to be seen.
It's partly because in most states a single insurance company currently controls more than half the market for individual coverage.
The administration says that's going to change for the better. In three-quarters of the markets the federal government will run, there will be at least one new insurer.
But areas of concern are emerging. New Hampshire could end up with just one insurance company offering plans through the new marketplace. In 36 of Mississippi's 82 counties, no insurer has yet signed up to offer coverage. Bigger states, however, don't seem to be having problems attracting insurers.
"The individual market for 2014 will look a lot like the individual market today — one or a handful of carriers dominant in most states," said Larry Levitt, a leading expert with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation.
But people will be able to move more easily from insurer to insurer, he added, which should bring more competitive pressure.
___
-CONSUMER EXPERIENCE-
For people without job-based coverage, shopping for insurance under the new system is supposed to be as smooth as using a major online site such as Travelocity or Expedia.
But in a recent report, the Government Accountability Office raised concerns about the sheer technological complexity of the task and the short time left to accomplish it.
The goal is for consumers to be able to find out the amount of the tax credit they're entitled to and sign up for a plan in real time or close to it. For that to happen, the computer systems of several major federal agencies, the states and dozens of insurance companies have to be able to talk each other, and the information exchanged must be accurate.
Testing the connections is underway. "We really feel very much on target for Oct. 1 and ready for open enrollment," said Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, a top HHS official overseeing the rollout. "We are meeting critical implementation deadlines."
"My guess is some of these states are not going to be up and running on time," said Dan Maynard, president of Connecture, a health technology company building three marketplaces.
That wouldn't necessarily mean some consumers will have to wait. People could sign up through call centers.
"You could have a very light online (marketplace) and have a lot of things drop to the call center and claim success," said Maynard.
___
Online:
Health care site: https://www.healthcare.gov
Kaiser Foundation's subsidy calculator: http://kff.org/interactive/subsidy-calculator
Copyright (2013) Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Join the conversation about this story »
Reported by Business Insider 14 hours ago.
↧
What The Latest Obamacare Snag Means
WASHINGTON -- Nothing's ever easy with President Barack Obama's health care law.
The latest hitch gives employers an additional year before they must offer medical coverage to their workers or pay a fine.
What does the delay mean for workers? And struggling businesses? And is it a significant setback for a law already beset by court challenges, repeal votes and a rush of deadlines for making health insurance available to nearly all Americans next year?
A few questions and answers:
___
WHY THE DELAY?
Businesses said they needed more time.
Obama administration officials say they listened to businesses that complained they needed to figure out how to comply with complicated new rules written since the plan became law. And the delay buys time for the government, as well, to improve and simplify the rules.
The law passed in 2010 required employers with more than 50 employees working 30 or more hours a week to offer them suitable health coverage or pay a fine. What's changed is the deadline for that requirement, which was to begin in January. The new deadline is Jan. 1, 2015.
___
WHO ELSE BENEFITS FROM DELAY?
_Democratic candidates. The employer mandate was set to take effect at the start of a congressional election year, intensifying the focus on one of the Republicans' favorite campaign issues. Postponing the requirement should mean fewer ads featuring business owners saying they're drowning under health care mandates.
_Maybe Republicans, too. They get new ammunition for their argument that the law is an unworkable "train wreck." Voters' complaints and worries about the health law helped the GOP win control of the House in 2010.
_Some low-income workers. When the employer mandate does take effect, some smallish companies have threatened to lay off workers or cut back their hours to stay under the 50-employee threshold. There's debate about how many workers might be harmed by this.
_Some job hunters. Once the mandate kicks in, job-seekers may find fewer openings for unskilled workers. That's because some restaurants and other small companies say the mandate will force them to cut back on staff or freeze hiring. The economy is likely to continue improving, which will help offset the impact by increasing demand for workers.
___
WHO LOSES?
_Uninsured people who already are confused about the law. The law doesn't change the January 2014 deadline for individuals to get insurance or the tax credits in the law to help them pay for it. But many people don't understand how the law works or when it takes effect, and the delay for the employer mandate may further muddle the issue for many.
_Some workers. Those whose employers might add insurance coverage to avoid the law's penalties will have to wait a year. But this group is expected to be small. The penalties are designed more to discourage businesses from dropping their existing health plans than to encourage them to start new ones. And these employees can buy their own insurance through the new health care exchanges being set up under the law.
___
WHAT ABOUT ME?
Most people won't be affected.
The vast majority of Americans already have insurance – even those working at companies that hover around the 50-employee level.
A Kaiser Family Foundation study found that 87 percent of companies that employed from 25 to 49 workers last year offered health coverage, and the percentage goes up for bigger businesses.
You should NOT be affected by the delay if you already are insured through:
_A job at a large company that already offers insurance.
_A job at a small company employing fewer than 50 workers, because such companies are exempt from the rules.
_Medicaid or Medicare, not affected by the delay.
_A private insurance policy, also not affected.
___
IS THIS A DOWNWARD SPIRAL?
The delay adds to an appearance of disarray surrounding the law.
It comes after other glitches and angry opposition: Lawsuits reaching all the way to the Supreme Court. Protests by religious employers who say covering contraception is against their beliefs. Repeated votes by House Republicans to repeal "Obamacare."
But the postponement doesn't affect the heart of the law – the requirement that individuals get insurance, and the subsidies to help them pay for it. The Obama administration insists the rest of the law will keep rolling along.
___
IS THE REST OF THE LAW ON TRACK?
Not for everyone.
A majority of the neediest people may remain uninsured. Medicaid changes in the health care law designed to help some 15 million low-income people are being rejected by many states with Republican leaders. That amounts to about half the people who were supposed to be helped by the law.
Last summer, the Supreme Court said states have the right to opt out of the law's Medicaid expansion.
Eighteen states aren't expanding their programs, including populous Texas and Florida. In nine other states, the outcome remains unclear.
Under the law, Medicaid is the only coverage option for people below the poverty line – $11,490 for an individual or $23,550 for a family of four. People this poor cannot get subsidized private coverage in the new health insurance markets.
The poor will be exempt from penalties for being uninsured, but they also won't get help with their health care.
Medicaid already covers more than 60 million people, including many elderly nursing home residents, severely disabled people of any age and many low-income children and their mothers.
___
Follow Connie Cass on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ConnieCass Reported by Huffington Post 8 hours ago.
The latest hitch gives employers an additional year before they must offer medical coverage to their workers or pay a fine.
What does the delay mean for workers? And struggling businesses? And is it a significant setback for a law already beset by court challenges, repeal votes and a rush of deadlines for making health insurance available to nearly all Americans next year?
A few questions and answers:
___
WHY THE DELAY?
Businesses said they needed more time.
Obama administration officials say they listened to businesses that complained they needed to figure out how to comply with complicated new rules written since the plan became law. And the delay buys time for the government, as well, to improve and simplify the rules.
The law passed in 2010 required employers with more than 50 employees working 30 or more hours a week to offer them suitable health coverage or pay a fine. What's changed is the deadline for that requirement, which was to begin in January. The new deadline is Jan. 1, 2015.
___
WHO ELSE BENEFITS FROM DELAY?
_Democratic candidates. The employer mandate was set to take effect at the start of a congressional election year, intensifying the focus on one of the Republicans' favorite campaign issues. Postponing the requirement should mean fewer ads featuring business owners saying they're drowning under health care mandates.
_Maybe Republicans, too. They get new ammunition for their argument that the law is an unworkable "train wreck." Voters' complaints and worries about the health law helped the GOP win control of the House in 2010.
_Some low-income workers. When the employer mandate does take effect, some smallish companies have threatened to lay off workers or cut back their hours to stay under the 50-employee threshold. There's debate about how many workers might be harmed by this.
_Some job hunters. Once the mandate kicks in, job-seekers may find fewer openings for unskilled workers. That's because some restaurants and other small companies say the mandate will force them to cut back on staff or freeze hiring. The economy is likely to continue improving, which will help offset the impact by increasing demand for workers.
___
WHO LOSES?
_Uninsured people who already are confused about the law. The law doesn't change the January 2014 deadline for individuals to get insurance or the tax credits in the law to help them pay for it. But many people don't understand how the law works or when it takes effect, and the delay for the employer mandate may further muddle the issue for many.
_Some workers. Those whose employers might add insurance coverage to avoid the law's penalties will have to wait a year. But this group is expected to be small. The penalties are designed more to discourage businesses from dropping their existing health plans than to encourage them to start new ones. And these employees can buy their own insurance through the new health care exchanges being set up under the law.
___
WHAT ABOUT ME?
Most people won't be affected.
The vast majority of Americans already have insurance – even those working at companies that hover around the 50-employee level.
A Kaiser Family Foundation study found that 87 percent of companies that employed from 25 to 49 workers last year offered health coverage, and the percentage goes up for bigger businesses.
You should NOT be affected by the delay if you already are insured through:
_A job at a large company that already offers insurance.
_A job at a small company employing fewer than 50 workers, because such companies are exempt from the rules.
_Medicaid or Medicare, not affected by the delay.
_A private insurance policy, also not affected.
___
IS THIS A DOWNWARD SPIRAL?
The delay adds to an appearance of disarray surrounding the law.
It comes after other glitches and angry opposition: Lawsuits reaching all the way to the Supreme Court. Protests by religious employers who say covering contraception is against their beliefs. Repeated votes by House Republicans to repeal "Obamacare."
But the postponement doesn't affect the heart of the law – the requirement that individuals get insurance, and the subsidies to help them pay for it. The Obama administration insists the rest of the law will keep rolling along.
___
IS THE REST OF THE LAW ON TRACK?
Not for everyone.
A majority of the neediest people may remain uninsured. Medicaid changes in the health care law designed to help some 15 million low-income people are being rejected by many states with Republican leaders. That amounts to about half the people who were supposed to be helped by the law.
Last summer, the Supreme Court said states have the right to opt out of the law's Medicaid expansion.
Eighteen states aren't expanding their programs, including populous Texas and Florida. In nine other states, the outcome remains unclear.
Under the law, Medicaid is the only coverage option for people below the poverty line – $11,490 for an individual or $23,550 for a family of four. People this poor cannot get subsidized private coverage in the new health insurance markets.
The poor will be exempt from penalties for being uninsured, but they also won't get help with their health care.
Medicaid already covers more than 60 million people, including many elderly nursing home residents, severely disabled people of any age and many low-income children and their mothers.
___
Follow Connie Cass on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ConnieCass Reported by Huffington Post 8 hours ago.
↧
Small business stricken by Obamacare mandate
Acknowledging business frustration with the Affordable Care Act, the Obama Administration has suspended until 2015 the law's narrow mandate that companies provide health insurance for employees or face a penalty.
Reported by detnews.com 3 hours ago.
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↧
How baby Erik got health insurance
Two days after Erik Friedman was born, his parents applied for coverage under Pennsylvania's universal Children's Health Insurance Program. Six months later, they got it.
Reported by philly.com 25 minutes ago.
↧
Obamacare Delay Troubles Both Unions And Republicans
* AFL-CIO says White House decision is "troubling"
* Business groups remain concerned about employer mandate
* Republicans want to know why they weren't informed sooner (Adds reaction, details)
By Caren Bohan and Yasmeen Abutaleb
WASHINGTON, July 3 (Reuters) - Republicans launched a fresh assault on "Obamacare" Wednesday, promising a congressional inquiry after the White House delayed a requirement for employer-provided health insurance until after the 2014 congressional elections.
Meanwhile, the AFL-CIO labor organization, which supports the health care law, asked that its own requests for changes be given the same consideration the White House has extended to employers.
That raises the prospect of numerous interest groups seeking to reopen previously settled disputes over the 2010 law.
The criticisms complicate White House efforts to boost public support for President Barack Obama's signature domestic policy achievement. The law's success depends in part on convincing millions of Americans to sign up for coverage.
The requirement that employers with 50 or more workers provide health coverage was set to begin at the start of 2014. Now the mandate will not begin until 2015.
The White House has said the delay for employers will not affect or delay the health exchanges that Americans will use to buy insurance.
"This is a demonstration of our willingness to work with the business community," said White House Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest, arguing that the delay should "inspire confidence" for that reason.
But a committee of the Republican-controlled House of Representatives wrote administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, asking why lawmakers were not informed sooner that the administration was considering delaying the requirement for employer-provided health insurance.
"Despite delays and missed deadlines, administration officials had repeatedly testified before Congress that they were still on schedule to implement the law," said Representative Fred Upton, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Whether or not an investigation promised by Upton's committee sheds light on the decision, it promises to prolong negative publicity about the law less than six months before it is to be rolled out.
In postponing the employer mandate on Tuesday, Upton said in a statement, the administration "admitted that wasn't the case, and it's clear we have no idea the full scope of delays and disarray that may be coming."
'CYNICAL PLOY'
Senator John Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican and leading critic of the health law, accused the administration of carrying out a "cynical ploy" with postponement of the employer mandate.
"The public already lacks confidence in the law and it seems that now the administration is finally admitting that this law is unworkable, unaffordable and continues to be very unpopular," Barrasso said.
Among Obama's supporters, the AFL-CIO, a staunch ally of the Democratic president, said it found the decision to postpone employer-provided coverage "troubling."
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka complained that while the White House showed willingness to provide flexibility for the business community, it appeared reluctant to make changes sought by labor.
He said he would press his concerns and hoped the administration would address them, "just as they have the concerns voiced by employers."
Business groups said they welcomed the postponement but remained concerned about the employer mandate.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said the delay would help avoid "serious near-term economic consequences of the health law," but it wanted to work with the administration to head off other potential problems.
The National Association of Manufacturers said in a blog post that the employer mandate was a bad idea from the start and the administration's move "simply delays the inevitable."
The delay complicates White House efforts to make the rollout of the health law look smooth, an already challenging task in part thanks to the continuing Republican campaign to discredit the program.
Jim Manley, a former aide to Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, said he was worried that the delay would give Republicans "another club to beat Democrats upside the head."
"There's no denying that this is a setback for the program. The perception is pretty bad," said Manley, who was involved in the effort to pass the law.
Several lawmakers, including some Democrats, had pressed the White House to consider a delay in the employer mandate. Among them was Senator Mark Begich, a Democrat in the Republican-leaning state of Alaska, who met with the White House last week to express his concerns about the law's implementation.
Begich has also written to top administration officials complaining that small businesses were overwhelmed and confused by complex information strewn across nearly 50 government websites. (Additional reporting by Steve Holland and Roberta Rampton Editing by Fred Barbash and Xavier Briand) Reported by Huffington Post 4 days ago.
* Business groups remain concerned about employer mandate
* Republicans want to know why they weren't informed sooner (Adds reaction, details)
By Caren Bohan and Yasmeen Abutaleb
WASHINGTON, July 3 (Reuters) - Republicans launched a fresh assault on "Obamacare" Wednesday, promising a congressional inquiry after the White House delayed a requirement for employer-provided health insurance until after the 2014 congressional elections.
Meanwhile, the AFL-CIO labor organization, which supports the health care law, asked that its own requests for changes be given the same consideration the White House has extended to employers.
That raises the prospect of numerous interest groups seeking to reopen previously settled disputes over the 2010 law.
The criticisms complicate White House efforts to boost public support for President Barack Obama's signature domestic policy achievement. The law's success depends in part on convincing millions of Americans to sign up for coverage.
The requirement that employers with 50 or more workers provide health coverage was set to begin at the start of 2014. Now the mandate will not begin until 2015.
The White House has said the delay for employers will not affect or delay the health exchanges that Americans will use to buy insurance.
"This is a demonstration of our willingness to work with the business community," said White House Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest, arguing that the delay should "inspire confidence" for that reason.
But a committee of the Republican-controlled House of Representatives wrote administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, asking why lawmakers were not informed sooner that the administration was considering delaying the requirement for employer-provided health insurance.
"Despite delays and missed deadlines, administration officials had repeatedly testified before Congress that they were still on schedule to implement the law," said Representative Fred Upton, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Whether or not an investigation promised by Upton's committee sheds light on the decision, it promises to prolong negative publicity about the law less than six months before it is to be rolled out.
In postponing the employer mandate on Tuesday, Upton said in a statement, the administration "admitted that wasn't the case, and it's clear we have no idea the full scope of delays and disarray that may be coming."
'CYNICAL PLOY'
Senator John Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican and leading critic of the health law, accused the administration of carrying out a "cynical ploy" with postponement of the employer mandate.
"The public already lacks confidence in the law and it seems that now the administration is finally admitting that this law is unworkable, unaffordable and continues to be very unpopular," Barrasso said.
Among Obama's supporters, the AFL-CIO, a staunch ally of the Democratic president, said it found the decision to postpone employer-provided coverage "troubling."
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka complained that while the White House showed willingness to provide flexibility for the business community, it appeared reluctant to make changes sought by labor.
He said he would press his concerns and hoped the administration would address them, "just as they have the concerns voiced by employers."
Business groups said they welcomed the postponement but remained concerned about the employer mandate.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said the delay would help avoid "serious near-term economic consequences of the health law," but it wanted to work with the administration to head off other potential problems.
The National Association of Manufacturers said in a blog post that the employer mandate was a bad idea from the start and the administration's move "simply delays the inevitable."
The delay complicates White House efforts to make the rollout of the health law look smooth, an already challenging task in part thanks to the continuing Republican campaign to discredit the program.
Jim Manley, a former aide to Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, said he was worried that the delay would give Republicans "another club to beat Democrats upside the head."
"There's no denying that this is a setback for the program. The perception is pretty bad," said Manley, who was involved in the effort to pass the law.
Several lawmakers, including some Democrats, had pressed the White House to consider a delay in the employer mandate. Among them was Senator Mark Begich, a Democrat in the Republican-leaning state of Alaska, who met with the White House last week to express his concerns about the law's implementation.
Begich has also written to top administration officials complaining that small businesses were overwhelmed and confused by complex information strewn across nearly 50 government websites. (Additional reporting by Steve Holland and Roberta Rampton Editing by Fred Barbash and Xavier Briand) Reported by Huffington Post 4 days ago.
↧
Zane Benefits Publishes New Information on the HRA Research Fee
PCORI Research Fee Due July 31 on Form 720, for Some Employers
Park City, Utah (PRWEB) July 04, 2013
Today, Zane Benefits, the online alternative to group health insurance, published new information on the HRA Research Fee and Form 720.
According to Zane Benefits’ website, the IRS has issued a revised Form 720 (Quarterly Federal Excise Tax) that now includes a section for reporting the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) research fees, also called the Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) fees. The PCORI fee is listed in Part II of the form, IRS No. 133.
The first due date of these research fees (for some employers) is July 31, 2013.
According to Zane Benefits’ website, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes a "research fee" that plan sponsors, including HRA plan sponsors, must pay on an annual basis. The research fee is referred to as the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), or Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) fee.
The ACA imposes this fee on insured plans and self-insured health plans, including HRAs. The research fee is temporary; it applies to plan years ending on or after October 1, 2012 and before October 1, 2019.
Applicable employers are required to report and pay the PCORI research fees annually via Form 720, due by July 31 of each year.
Click here to read full article.
--
About Zane Benefits
Zane Benefits was founded in 2006 to provide a revolutionized SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) administration platform ("ZaneHRA") for Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and defined contribution health care. The flagship software provides a 100% paperless administration experience to small businesses and insurance professionals that want to offer better health benefits without a traditional group health insurance plan at lower costs. For more information about Health Reimbursement Arrangements, click here. Reported by PRWeb 4 days ago.
Park City, Utah (PRWEB) July 04, 2013
Today, Zane Benefits, the online alternative to group health insurance, published new information on the HRA Research Fee and Form 720.
According to Zane Benefits’ website, the IRS has issued a revised Form 720 (Quarterly Federal Excise Tax) that now includes a section for reporting the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) research fees, also called the Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) fees. The PCORI fee is listed in Part II of the form, IRS No. 133.
The first due date of these research fees (for some employers) is July 31, 2013.
According to Zane Benefits’ website, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes a "research fee" that plan sponsors, including HRA plan sponsors, must pay on an annual basis. The research fee is referred to as the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), or Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) fee.
The ACA imposes this fee on insured plans and self-insured health plans, including HRAs. The research fee is temporary; it applies to plan years ending on or after October 1, 2012 and before October 1, 2019.
Applicable employers are required to report and pay the PCORI research fees annually via Form 720, due by July 31 of each year.
Click here to read full article.
--
About Zane Benefits
Zane Benefits was founded in 2006 to provide a revolutionized SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) administration platform ("ZaneHRA") for Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and defined contribution health care. The flagship software provides a 100% paperless administration experience to small businesses and insurance professionals that want to offer better health benefits without a traditional group health insurance plan at lower costs. For more information about Health Reimbursement Arrangements, click here. Reported by PRWeb 4 days ago.
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Zane Benefits Publishes New Information on the Kansas Health Insurance Exchange
New Health Insurance Exchange to Help 326,900 Uninsured Kansas Residents Get Coverage
Park City, Utah (PRWEB) July 07, 2013
Today, Zane Benefits, the online alternative to group health insurance, published new information on the Kansas Health Insurance Exchange.
According to Zane Benefits’ website, beginning in 2014 as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), health insurance coverage for individuals and small businesses will become available through new state health insurance exchanges (also called health insurance marketplaces).
All states have three options for setting up a state health insurance exchange for 2014: Build a state-based exchange, enter into a state-federal partnership exchange, or default to a federally-facilitated exchange.
According to Zane Benefits’ website, Kansas will default to a federally-facilitated health insurance exchange. The Kansas Health Insurance Exchange will open for enrollment on October 1, 2013, with coverage starting January 1, 2014.
A key part of the Kansas Health Insurance Exchange is that eligible individuals and families will be able to access individual premium tax subsidies, capping the cost of their premium between 2% to 9.5% of income. Eligibility is based on household size and income (up to 400% FPL). The Exchange will also screen for Medicaid and public assistance programs. The premium tax subsidies are only available through the public Exchange.
According to an estimate by healthcare.gov, approximately 326,900 or 14% of Kansas’s non-elderly residents are uninsured, of whom 310,600 (95% of these) may qualify for either tax subsidies to purchase coverage in the Marketplace or for Medicaid (if Kansas participates in the Medicaid expansion).
Click here to read full article.
--
About Zane Benefits
Zane Benefits was founded in 2006 to provide a revolutionized SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) administration platform ("ZaneHRA") for Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and defined contribution health care. The flagship software provides a 100% paperless administration experience to small businesses and insurance professionals that want to offer better health benefits without a traditional group health insurance plan at lower costs. For more information on Health Reimbursement Arrangements, see this overview. Reported by PRWeb 19 hours ago.
Park City, Utah (PRWEB) July 07, 2013
Today, Zane Benefits, the online alternative to group health insurance, published new information on the Kansas Health Insurance Exchange.
According to Zane Benefits’ website, beginning in 2014 as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), health insurance coverage for individuals and small businesses will become available through new state health insurance exchanges (also called health insurance marketplaces).
All states have three options for setting up a state health insurance exchange for 2014: Build a state-based exchange, enter into a state-federal partnership exchange, or default to a federally-facilitated exchange.
According to Zane Benefits’ website, Kansas will default to a federally-facilitated health insurance exchange. The Kansas Health Insurance Exchange will open for enrollment on October 1, 2013, with coverage starting January 1, 2014.
A key part of the Kansas Health Insurance Exchange is that eligible individuals and families will be able to access individual premium tax subsidies, capping the cost of their premium between 2% to 9.5% of income. Eligibility is based on household size and income (up to 400% FPL). The Exchange will also screen for Medicaid and public assistance programs. The premium tax subsidies are only available through the public Exchange.
According to an estimate by healthcare.gov, approximately 326,900 or 14% of Kansas’s non-elderly residents are uninsured, of whom 310,600 (95% of these) may qualify for either tax subsidies to purchase coverage in the Marketplace or for Medicaid (if Kansas participates in the Medicaid expansion).
Click here to read full article.
--
About Zane Benefits
Zane Benefits was founded in 2006 to provide a revolutionized SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) administration platform ("ZaneHRA") for Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and defined contribution health care. The flagship software provides a 100% paperless administration experience to small businesses and insurance professionals that want to offer better health benefits without a traditional group health insurance plan at lower costs. For more information on Health Reimbursement Arrangements, see this overview. Reported by PRWeb 19 hours ago.
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U.S. relaxes health law income, insurance status rule for exchanges
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Days after delaying health insurance requirements for employers, the Obama administration has decided to roll back requirements for new state online insurance marketplaces to verify the income and health coverage status of people who apply for subsidized coverage.
Reported by ChicagoTribune 4 hours ago.
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HSA for America Hosts New Webinar on How Health-care Reform Changes Coverage
HSA for America’s expert on health savings accounts, Fred Adams, will answer live questions about health-care reform during a new webinar titled “The Five Key Facts You Must Know about Obamacare.”
Fort Collins, CO (PRWEB) July 08, 2013
HSA for America is hosting a new Health Care Reform webinar on July 9 at 7 pm EST. Long-time health savings account expert Fred Adams will answer live questions about how leading private health insurance companies are conforming existing policies to comply with health-care reform. Free registration is available to the public at http://www.HSAforAmerica.com/teleseminar.htm.
People who purchase their own health insurance face many challenges in 2014. They must have a government approved plan, or pay a tax penalty. Many people will not be able to keep what they have, and will have to convert to a new plan next year. Many people will be facing significant rate increases, and some will qualify for government subsidies to help them pay for coverage.
After a brief overview, callers will be able to talk live with Adams about specific coverage questions. Participants will also receive a complementary bonus report titled “6 Smart Strategies to Keep Your Health Insurance Premiums Low.”
One key strategy involves health savings accounts. With one of these accounts, taxpayers are exempt from the requirement that they spend at least 10 percent of annual income on medical costs in order to claim a tax deduction. Many expenses that are not covered by insurance, from dental care to the cost of “alternative medicine,” can be used to reduce taxable income.
People may also claim a deduction for health savings account deposits not needed for health care expenses. Those funds can double as a retirement account because they earn untaxed interest or dividends like traditional retirement accounts.
This year, individuals under age 55 may shelter $3,250 from taxes, and families may shelter $6,450. Those who are at least 55, may shelter an extra $1,000.
Webinar participants must register to reserve their space, and may join the webinar online or via telephone. HSA for America receives regular updates from the leading health insurance companies regarding changes to existing coverage and what new options will provide. The webinar is a chance to clarify what’s happening to health insurance next year and what types of coverage will be available in October.
About HSA for America:
As the nation's leading independent HSA expert, HSA for America has earned a reputation for providing superior educational resources for individuals, families and small businesses. With its comprehensive website, the public can evaluate health insurance plans that allow them to establish an HSA.
People may access HSA for America’s instant quote engine and online applications at http://www.HSAforAmerica.com/ or request individualized assistance. Confidential consultations regarding HSA plans and Health Reimbursement Arrangements may be arranged by calling 1-866-749-2039 from 9 AM through 11 PM Eastern.
Guidelines for selecting an HSA administrator based on fees and investment options are also available at http://www.HSAforAmerica.com/admins.htm. Reported by PRWeb 17 minutes ago.
Fort Collins, CO (PRWEB) July 08, 2013
HSA for America is hosting a new Health Care Reform webinar on July 9 at 7 pm EST. Long-time health savings account expert Fred Adams will answer live questions about how leading private health insurance companies are conforming existing policies to comply with health-care reform. Free registration is available to the public at http://www.HSAforAmerica.com/teleseminar.htm.
People who purchase their own health insurance face many challenges in 2014. They must have a government approved plan, or pay a tax penalty. Many people will not be able to keep what they have, and will have to convert to a new plan next year. Many people will be facing significant rate increases, and some will qualify for government subsidies to help them pay for coverage.
After a brief overview, callers will be able to talk live with Adams about specific coverage questions. Participants will also receive a complementary bonus report titled “6 Smart Strategies to Keep Your Health Insurance Premiums Low.”
One key strategy involves health savings accounts. With one of these accounts, taxpayers are exempt from the requirement that they spend at least 10 percent of annual income on medical costs in order to claim a tax deduction. Many expenses that are not covered by insurance, from dental care to the cost of “alternative medicine,” can be used to reduce taxable income.
People may also claim a deduction for health savings account deposits not needed for health care expenses. Those funds can double as a retirement account because they earn untaxed interest or dividends like traditional retirement accounts.
This year, individuals under age 55 may shelter $3,250 from taxes, and families may shelter $6,450. Those who are at least 55, may shelter an extra $1,000.
Webinar participants must register to reserve their space, and may join the webinar online or via telephone. HSA for America receives regular updates from the leading health insurance companies regarding changes to existing coverage and what new options will provide. The webinar is a chance to clarify what’s happening to health insurance next year and what types of coverage will be available in October.
About HSA for America:
As the nation's leading independent HSA expert, HSA for America has earned a reputation for providing superior educational resources for individuals, families and small businesses. With its comprehensive website, the public can evaluate health insurance plans that allow them to establish an HSA.
People may access HSA for America’s instant quote engine and online applications at http://www.HSAforAmerica.com/ or request individualized assistance. Confidential consultations regarding HSA plans and Health Reimbursement Arrangements may be arranged by calling 1-866-749-2039 from 9 AM through 11 PM Eastern.
Guidelines for selecting an HSA administrator based on fees and investment options are also available at http://www.HSAforAmerica.com/admins.htm. Reported by PRWeb 17 minutes ago.
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Health insurers fear young will opt out
Dan Lopez rarely gets sick and hasn't been to a doctor in 10 years, so buying health insurance feels like a waste of money.
Reported by Journal Gazette 44 minutes ago.
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