Healthcare Premium Notices Arrive as Election
Your clients can expect to see their health care insurance premium renewal notices just in time for the home stretch of the presidential election. Carriers are reporting rate hike requests in the double digits, although the final increases remain to be seen. However, many believe that this will be the year that the increases will… Read More
What’s New This Week?
GOP “A Better Way” Obamacare Replacement Plan House Republicans released their version of the healthcare plan to replace the 2010 Affordable Care Act. The plan, known as The Better Way, includes the use of Health Savings Accounts (HSA), and the sale of insurance across state lines. Key components of the plan include the gradual increase… Read More
What’s New?
Obama Bathroom Mandate It is not enough to offer a transgender student access to clean and safe restrooms, locker rooms, and showers. The U.S Department of Justice ruled that would be discriminatory against a student who “identifies” with a sex other than their biological gender. To ensure inclusivity, the mandate ruled that transgender students must… Read More
Veterans Care OUTSIDE the VA?
New legislation may allow for veterans to obtain health care outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The “Caring for our Heroes in the 21st Century Act” would make the VA more like private sector hospital networks by introducing a “Veterans Accountable Care Organization” that would control its facilities. Funding from the VA would be… Read More
2017 HSA Inflation Adjustments for Health Savings Accounts (HSA)
2017 HSA Inflation Adjustments for Health Savings Accounts (HSA) The Internal Revenue Services released the 2017 HSA inflation adjustments as follows: Individual (self-only) contributions are limited to $3,400, with annual deductibles of no less than $1300. Maximum annual out-of-pocket expenses – $6,550. Individual (with family) contributions are limited to $6,750, with annual deductibles of… Read More
Tops News this Week!
Anthem & Cigna In-fighting may delay the Anthem-Cigna merger as regulators continue to review the mergers for approval. In an April letter to the Anthem board, Cigna voiced concern that a pending Anthem lawsuit against a drug manufacturer could threaten regulatory approval of the merger. Anthem argued that Cigna was made aware of the suit… Read More
Clinton Healthcare Plan More Benefits, More Costs
Avalere Health, a DC based healthcare consulting firm, says that Hillary Clinton’s medical plan would offer more benefits than current marketplace policies but would also cost more. The analysis suggested that 13 million people over age 50 could be covered by the plan, although many of them are currently covered through the exchange or through… Read More
EEOC Final Ruling on Employer Wellness Programs
EEOC RULINGS The EEOC has released long-awaited rulings regarding financial incentives tied to employee participation in workplace wellness programs. The rulings provide direction for employers and employees to ensure that the design and participation in wellness programs are conducted in compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA),… Read More
This Week in Obamacare
Birth Control Still out of Control In a unanimous decision on Monday, the Supreme Court issued a ruling saying the court expressed no views on the merits of the pending case involving non-profits affiliated with religious groups in their fight against the ACA’s contraceptive mandate. The court sent the case back to the lower courts… Read More
More Uncertainty over DOL Fiduciary Rule for Independent Agents Selling Fixed Indexed Annuities
It’s no wonder agents selling fixed indexed annuities are confused regarding the Department of Labor’s new fiduciary rule. How will it apply? Who is responsible for oversight? How will it be enforced? Like most rulings, this one is also lengthy and confusing. And at more than 1,000 pages, not many independent insurance agents have even… Read More