Healthcare

While the top exchange leader confirmed Tuesday that 70,000 agents have completed federal training, documents obtained by Republicans suggest CMS might begin outreach to get more professionals involved.

The Affordable Care Act did not envision the emergence of private exchanges, noted Larry Boress, president and CEO of the Midwest Business Group on Health. “There are no rules or regulations – yet,” he warned.

Up to $500 in a Flexible Spending Account can now roll over from year to year, but making the switch for 2013 could mean employees planning on using the grace period will lose money.

If people with chronic conditions only spend about an hour a year with their physician, how can they stay adherent with medication and their disease education for the 8,759 hours they’re outside the doctor’s office? The most promising answer is through mobile devices.

The race to construct an online insurance exchange by Oct. 1 spurred the Obama administration to use an expedited bidding system that limited its choice of a builder to just four companies, including CGI Group.

President Obama touted this state as exemplary Wednesday in his health care speech, but one broker says there was a loophole for those who were able to enroll.

Seventy percent of midsized businesses – those with between 50 and 999 employees – surveyed said their biggest challenge in 2013 is the cost of health coverage and benefits. ACA legislation came in as the No. 2 concern.

Following the Oct. 1 launch of the Affordable Care Act’s exchanges, nearly half (48%) of Americans nationwide say the federal government did a “poor” job of implementing the law in a new Kaiser survey.

While the thought may not have occurred to retirement and financial planners, one expert says that with the rising cost of health care, it’s a concept that could save their businesses.

As the Obama administration works to fix the technological problems associated with Healthcare.gov, greater issues with the federal health care exchanges remain, said a panel of health care experts Thursday in Washington.