Employers

Posted November 20th, 2015 in Producers, Employers, Individuals
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released premium and cost sharing information for Medicare beneficiaries in 2016.  Approximately 70% of individuals will pay $104.90 per month for Part B, however, the premium cost will be higher for the remaining 30% of individuals who:
 
  1. Enroll in Part B for the first time in 2016; or
  2. Those who don’t currently receive Social Security benefits; or
  3. People who have Medicare and Medicaid, and Medicaid pays the Part B premium; or
Posted November 13th, 2015 in Producers, Employers

The new reporting requirements that some employers will be subject to starting next year, as required by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), will be used to help the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) enforce the Individual and Employer Mandates, and it will also help the IRS administer subsidy eligibility in the Exchanges.
 

The following reporting forms will be the responsibility of the employer to complete:

Posted October 30th, 2015 in Producers, Employers

PCORI Fees

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Notice 2015-60 on October 9, 2015.  The notice includes information on the payable amounts that are due for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute fees (PCORI fees). The fee will increase from $2.08 to $2.17 per covered life for plan years ending on or after October 1, 2015 and before October 1, 2016. The next round of PCORI fees will be due by July 31, 2016 for plan years ending in 2015. The payment schedule will be as follows:
Posted October 23rd, 2015 in Producers, Employers

The Protecting Affordable Coverage for Employees (PACE) Act, signed into law by President Obama on October 7, 2015 gives states the ability to continue to determine the size of their small group market rather than conforming to a national standard.

Most states currently define their small group market as employers with up to 50 employees, but the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was set to expand that definition in 2016 to include employers with up to 100 employees. The PACE Act allows each state to independently decide what small group market definition makes the most sense.

Posted October 14th, 2015 in Producers, Employers

The 2016 Medicare Part D annual enrollment period will begin on October 15, 2015 and run through December 7, 2015. Medicare beneficiaries can enroll in a Part D drug plan or make changes to existing coverage during this time period. Enrollment can be done through a stand-alone drug plan or a Medicare Advantage plan that integrates coverage for medical and drug expenses.      

Posted October 8th, 2015 in Employers, Producers, Individuals

The open enrollment period (OEP) in the individual market will begin on November 1, 2015 and end on January 31, 2016.

During this time period, just about anyone can enroll or make plan changes to coverage in the individual market.

Here are some helpful reminders as the OEP approaches:

Who is eligible for a subsidy?

There are a number of factors that affect eligibility or can disqualify an individual for a subsidy, such as:

Posted October 7th, 2015 in Producers, Employers, Individuals

On October 1, 2015, the medical industry launched ICD-10 in the U.S.  ICD-10, which stands for the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, is a medical classification system adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO). Simply put, it’s an international coding system that requires physicians, hospitals and other medical providers to assign a unique number for every patient disease, diagnosis, abnormal finding, cause of injury, etc.

Posted August 31st, 2015 in Producers, Employers
The statutory limit for Health Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) elections is expected to remain unchanged in 2016. The salary reduction limit was capped at $2,500 in 2013 as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and is subject to inflationary adjustments. In 2015, the limit was increased to $2,550. However, due to a recent government report issued by the U.S.
Posted August 14th, 2015 in Producers, Employers
It appears that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is having some trouble with formulating guidance as it relates to the Excise Tax on High Cost Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage, also known as the Cadillac Tax. Earlier this year the IRS released Notice 2015-16 which sought public comment on the types of coverage that should (or shouldn’t) be included when calculating the value of coverage.  
 

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