Healthcare Reform - Providing Value for Premium Payments

A health insurance issuer who offers group or individual coverage, each plan year, will provide a rebate on a “pro rata” basis to each enrollee by “…an amount that is equal to the amount by which premium revenue [...]

Healthcare Reform - Standard Hospital Charges

Each hospital in the United States, based on guidelines established by the Secretary, will submit a list of standard charges for services and items provided by that hospital (pp 36, lines 7 [...]

Health Reform Survey Results from eHealth, Inc.

Recently the Opinion Research Corporation conducted a survey that was sponsored by eHealth, Inc. revealing that one in five Americans – as well as nearly two out of five uninsured Americans – would wait to look into and purchase new health insurance until the health care reform legislation is fully implemented. Unfortunately, this perspective could [...]

Small Group Insurance Premium Tax Credits - Update

The IRS has released recently updated guidelines on tax credits for qualifying small group health insurance premiums. Eligible businesses qualifying for these tax credits can claim this help.

Credits will now apply to vision and dental benefits in addition to medical benefits/premiums.
A business owner’s salary will not be used in the calculation of “average” earnings for [...]

What Is Driving Health Care Costs?

Health insurance premiums have been increasing for years far beyond the typical cost increases observed in most other sectors (except college education – but that’s another story). Many have asked what drives health care costs? [...]

Healthcare Reform - Kaiser Side-By-Side Comparison

Please follow the link below to see a side-by-side comparison of the healthcare bills including the Reconciliation Bill (H.R. 4872) to be considered shortly.  The Senate Bill, “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” (H.R. 3590) was signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010.

http://www.kff.org/healthreform/upload/housesenatebill_final.pdf
 
 

 

Healthcare Reform - Health Insurance Consumer Information

The Secretary shall provide grants to States or to the Exchanges operating in those States to set up, expand and give support for offices of consumer assistance for health insurance [...]

Healthcare Reform - Appeals of Claims and Coverage

Any group health plan, group or individual insurance issuer shall implement an effective process for determinations of claims and claims appeals (pp 36, lines 19- [...]

Healthcare Reform - Requirements for Reporting

Group health plans and health insurance issuers must annually submit to the Secretary, and to enrollees under plan coverage, a report that specifies whether or not the plan meets established [...]

Healthcare Reform - Bringing Down the Cost of Health Care Coverage

Health insurers providing group or individual coverage must issue to the Secretary a report for each plan year concerning what percentage of total premiums that such coverage [...]