Affordable Care Act

The 2018 PCORI Story

Posted April 24th, 2018 in Producers, Employers
Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) created a research institute known as the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). The goal of PCORI is to help patients and those who care for them make better-informed decisions about healthcare choices. PCORI is funded by fees which are charged to health plans.

The following information is designed to help employers understand their payment obligations.

Tags:
Affordable Care Act, PCORI Fee, ACA
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Grandmothered Plan Extenstion

Posted April 17th, 2018 in Producer
Grandmother
Health plans in the individual and small group markets that were issued after March 23, 2010 and prior to January 1, 2014 are commonly referred to as grandmothered plans.  March 23, 2010 is the date the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law, while January 1, 2014 is the so-called full implementation date of the ACA.
 
Tags:
Affordable Care Act, Health care reform, ACA, grandmothered plans
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An Unexpected Challenge to the ACA

Posted March 6th, 2018 in Producers, Employers, Individuals
ACA Under Magnifying Glass
In 2012, a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) found its way all the up to the U.S. Supreme Court. At the time, an argument was made that the Individual Mandate was not constitutional. The Individual Mandate requires most Americans to have health insurance or pay a penalty, and this provision has been considered the main crutch that has kept the ACA standing. 
 
Tags:
healthcare reform, Affordable Care Act, ACA, individual mandate, President Trump
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STM Plans Not So Short Anymore

Posted February 27th, 2018 in Producers, Employers, Individuals
siblings measuring how tall they are
In October 2017, President Donald Trump issued an executive order instructing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Labor (DOL) and Department of Treasury (DOT) – collectively known as the “tri-agencies” – to consider proposing rules that would expand short-term, limited duration insurance, also known as short-term medical plans (STM plans). 
 
Tags:
STM, HHS, DOL, President Trump, healthcare reform, ACA, Affordable Care Act
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The Idaho Test

Posted February 22nd, 2018 in Producers, Employers, Individuals
ACA Keyboard
The state of Idaho is looking to do something no other state has done – allow for the sale of health insurance plans which don’t comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The primary purpose is to allow for lower premiums plans to be available. 
 
Tags:
Health care reform, Affordable Care Act, ACA, health insurance, essential health benefits
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The Idaho Test: In Defiance of ACA Compliance

Posted February 6th, 2018 in Producers, Employers, Individuals
ACA
The state of Idaho is looking to do something no other state has done – allow for the sale of health insurance plans which don’t comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The primary purpose is to allow for lower premiums plans to be available.  
 
Tags:
healthcare reform, Affordable Care Act, ACA, health insurance, essential health benefits
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DOL Proposes New Association Health Plan Rules

Posted January 11th, 2018 in Producer, Employers, Individuals
Man with icons representing association plans
In response to an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in October of last year, the Department of Labor (DOL) has proposed new rules that aim to expand the availability of association health plans (AHPs) in the small group market.
Tags:
healthcare reform, Affordable Care Act, ACA, President Trump, DOL, small group health plans
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ACA Employer Reporting Update

Posted January 4th, 2018 in Producers, Employers
People with bar graphs

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2018-06 which provides some relief for those entities who are subject to reporting requirements under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

In summary:

Forms 1095-B and/or 1095-C now must be furnished to employees and individuals by March 2, 2018, for the 2017 calendar year. This is a 30-day extension from the original deadline of January 31, 2018. No additional extensions will be granted by the IRS, even if requested by an employer.

Tags:
healthcare reform, Affordable Care Act, ACA, IRS, Penalty
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Is it Too Early to Talk Health Insurance in 2019?

Posted December 12th, 2017 in Producers, Employers, Individuals
2019 sign
We haven’t even gotten through the 2018 open enrollment season yet, but the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has already proposed rules that would impact health insurance markets for 2019. Each year, CMS issues a Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters which explains various rules, inflation adjustments and other changes that will occur with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Tags:
healthcare reform, CMS, Affordable Care Act, Out-of-pocket expenses, premiums
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Cadillac Tax Repeal Back on the Table

Posted December 1st, 2017 in Producers, Employers
Tax 2018 on scale
Bipartisan efforts (yes, you read that right) are underway to repeal the Cadillac Tax imposed by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). A letter signed by 140 bipartisan members of the House of Representatives (House) urges a repeal this year. Efforts are being led by Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT-2) and Mike Kelly (R-PA-3). 
 
Tags:
healthcare reform, Affordable Care Act, Cadillac Tax, FSAs, HSAs, HRAs, employer-sponsored
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