Posted By cmonfils on January 23, 2012
www.myhealthguide.com
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What is the most comprehensive, intensive and proven consumer protection law in the nation? What law imposes such intense fiduciary duty that customs most businesses are free to use to increase their profits can land a fiduciary in jail? (more…)
Category: ERISA, Health Care Legislation, Health Insurance, Self-Funding |
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Posted By cmonfils on January 23, 2012
Many people assume insurance offered by their employer is a better deal than they can get on their own. But while the premiums can be lower, such policies have drawbacks.
Employer-sponsored insurance has become much more common in recent years. Premiums from new sales of life, disability, supplemental-medical and other types of insurance sold through work sites totaled an estimated $5.4 billion in 2011, up from $2 billion in 1997, according to benefits-expert Eastbridge Consulting Group.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204331304577141080671882766.html
Category: ERISA, Health Insurance, Self-Funding |
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Posted By cmonfils on January 23, 2012
Reprinted from THE AIS REPORT ON BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD PLANS, a hard-hitting independent monthly newsletter on new products, market share, strategies, conversions, financing, profitability and strategic alliances of BC/BS plans. (Not affiliated with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association or its member companies.)
As health insurers gear up to prepare for the launch of public exchanges in 2014, most Blues plans this year will devote more resources not only to technological and other infrastructure improvements related to exchanges, but also increased marketing and retail investments in order to facilitate what will be significant growth in the individual market.
http://aishealth.com/archive/nblu0112-01
Category: Health Insurance |
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Posted By cmonfils on January 22, 2012
Today, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that, “Trustmark Life Insurance Company has proposed unreasonable health insurance premium increases in five states—Alabama, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wyoming. The excessive rate hikes would affect nearly 10,000 residents across these five states.”
Category: Alabama, Arizona, Health Insurance, HHS, Pennsylvania, Transparency, Virginia, Wyoming |
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Posted By cmonfils on January 22, 2012
KENNEBUNK, Maine–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) entities are the nation’s oldest and largest family of health benefits companies and undeniably the most recognized brands in the health insurance industry. Linked together through the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, the Blues are a national federation of 38 independent BCBS companies. Together, along with their subsidiaries, Blues organizations cover more than half of all commercially insured persons in the U.S.
Category: Health Insurance |
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Posted By cmonfils on January 22, 2012
The offer of a fitness club membership is helping insurers including UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH) and Humana Inc. (HUM) draw healthier and less costly patients to their Medicare programs, said researchers reporting in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Category: Health Insurance, Medicare, Wellness |
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Posted By cmonfils on January 22, 2012
With Jennifer McCormack, Esq. Lots of different kinds of coverage will not have to report their expenses next tax year (the 2012 tax year), and lots of employers won’t have to either. Are you one of them? Beginning calendar year 2012, employers must report on Forms W-2 (which employers will give employees in January 2013) the aggregate cost of health coverage received by an employee under the employer’s health plan. Notice 2012-9, issued Jan. 5 by the IRS, clarified prior guidance for employers regarding compliance with the new W-2 health coverage reporting requirement, as mandated under health reform.
Category: Health Insurance |
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Posted By cmonfils on January 22, 2012
The IRS is hitting the ground running. Just a few days into 2012, we received Notice 2012-09, which addresses reporting health care coverage costs on Forms W-2. Following are a nine more things that Glass says we can expect from the federal government this year.
Category: Health Care Legislation, Health Insurance, HIPAA |
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Posted By cmonfils on January 22, 2012
The Obama administration announced today that it will require all employers, including religious organizations, to comply with a new mandate in the health law providing free contraception in any health insurance they provide to women without a co-payment.
http://www.boston.com/Boston/dailydose/2012/01/religious-employers-may-soon-have-offer-free-birth-control/NHp4tepskbXJKkZr4QVm0J/index.html
Category: Health Care Legislation |
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Posted By cmonfils on January 22, 2012
HR professionals may often see the following scenario: An employee is granted FMLA leave to treat a serious health condition that poses long-term restrictions and limitations; 12 weeks pass; the employee fails to return to work; company terminates employee under a “no-fault” absence policy. The employer granted the full 12 weeks allowed by the FMLA, so it is free to terminate, right?
Category: FMLA |
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Posted By cmonfils on January 22, 2012
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a $2 million National Emergency Grant supplemental award, in the form of a National Emergency Grant, to provide an estimated 1,175 additional jobless workers in North Carolina with partial premium payments for health insurance coverage. The state qualified for funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Category: DOL, Health Insurance, North Carolina |
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Posted By cmonfils on January 22, 2012
Health insurance premium increases in five states have been deemed “unreasonable” by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today.
After independent expert review, HHS determined that Trustmark Life Insurance Company has proposed unreasonable health insurance premium increases in five states—Alabama, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wyoming. The excessive rate hikes would affect nearly 10,000 residents across these five states.
Category: Alabama, Arizona, Health Insurance, HHS, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wyoming |
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Posted By cmonfils on January 20, 2012
Living in Florida means not worrying about getting a good parking place when I’m shopping. In fact, the weather is so beautiful in Florida this time of year that I purposefully park far away. It allows the ol’ pedometer a chance to click a few extra times as I work off the eggnog consumed over the holidays and also allows me to enjoy a little sun on my face and the sight of palm trees swaying in the breeze. But we all know the weather in Florida isn’t always so pleasant. Hurricanes agree with all those Disney tourists that Florida is a favorite place to visit. The most recent one in our area, Wilma, came from the southwest with a vengeance. It slammed us – uprooting trees, knocking down power lines, sending roof tiles as projectile missiles through the air. Then it cleared. And the weather was sunny and calm. And for a short amount of time, all was well. But it was only the eye of the storm – with even more damaging hurricane winds churning behind it.
Category: Health Care Legislation |
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Posted By cmonfils on January 20, 2012
As employees take on more responsibility for paying for health care, voluntary benefits can provide much-needed additional coverage. EBN spoke to a number of voluntary benefits providers to get their thoughts on the major trends they see coming in 2012. Not surprisingly, all the trends and influences in the HR world at large – health care reform, employer cost-shifting, technology and communications – affect the voluntary benefits industry as well. Here, we provide a summary of key trends, along with charts and data to help employers plan their voluntary benefits strategy going forward.
Category: Health Care Legislation, Health Insurance |
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Posted By cmonfils on January 20, 2012
Excela Health entered the Great Recession as the largest mental health provider for the Pennsylvania county that’s home to its three hospitals.
A year and a half later, as the recession drew to a close, Excela began to refer and transfer outpatient mental health patients to primary-care doctors and community clinics to stem losses.
Category: Health Care Legislation, Health Insurance, New Jersey, Pennsylvania |
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