Google Glass collaborates with VSP Global
Google said Tuesday that it will work with VSP Global to offer its Google Glass prescription lenses and frames at a subsidized price.
Benefit plan design
Republican senators pitch ACA replacement for 2017
Republican U.S. senators opposed to Obamacare said the best alternative would be a narrower system of tax credits for Americans to buy health insurance without any of the mandates for people or companies to participate.
By
Alex Wayne
Could exchanges encourage more value-based pricing?
The ACA has been roundly criticized for its lack of cost-containment provisions But one Princeton University academic maintains that cost-containment cannot be implemented simultaneously with universal-coverage measures.
Moodys downgrades health insurers to negative
Crediting uncertainty surrounding ACAs implementation, Moodys Investor Services slashed the outlook for U.S. health insurers to negative.
Moodys downgrades U.S. health insurers outlook to negative
As a result of the continued uncertainty of Affordable Care Acts impact, Moodys changed the outlook for U.S. health insurers to negative from stable.
By
Carrie Burns
BeneTrac produces answer to employer ACA requirements
BeneTrac, a San Diego-based employee benefits administration software provider, says employers need to act now in order to comply with the ACAs employer-shared responsibility clause.
Humana sued by man claiming it wouldnt cancel policy
Humana Inc. was sued by a Missouri man who claimed the insurer raised premiums for him and other customers and then failed to respond to requests to cancel policies, allegedly to increase revenue under the Affordable Care Act in what may be the first such lawsuit.
CMS awarded Accenture no-bid contract on Healthcare.gov
CMS accelerated $90 million deal, rather than go through normal one-year bidding process, as it did not believe current contractor could complete work on urgently needed functionalities.
Benefits Think Employers and wellness: A key part of health care reform
Health care exchanges and other issues related to the Affordable Care Act have garnered a great deal of attention. However, additional and less well-known ACA regulations went into effect on January 1. One of these impacts wellness programs, including the myriad initiatives employers have put in place to encourage employees to exercise, lose weight and otherwise improve their health to prevent illness, disability and its costs.
Target to drop health insurance for part-time workers
Target Corp. said it will end health insurance for part-time employees, joining Trader Joes Co., Home Depot Inc. and other retailers that have scaled back benefits in response to changes from Obamacare.
By
Alex Wayne
McGraw Wentworth plans benefit, health care reform study
Employers and human resource professionals looking to get ahead of the benefits and health care reform game should take a note of a new free survey in the works by McGraw Wentworth.
Plaintiffs in ACA tax credit case file for expedited appeal
The plaintiffs who lost a recent lawsuit trying to prevent the federal government from providing tax credits to purchase health insurance on federal exchanges have filed for an expedited appeal in the case.
Quality of ER care falls due to ACA, physicians say
With Obamacare bearing down on them, a doctors group said emergency rooms are less able to provide quality care, and more resources will be needed to handle an expected surge of patients from the new law.
ACAs SHOP enrollment lagging behind goals
Enrollment in Obamacare health plans for small businesses is off to a slow start, leaving in doubt whether the U.S. program can attract enough customers to satisfy insurers.
By
Alex Wayne
Healthcare.gov ‘still vulnerable, says House oversight committee
Despite assurances from the Department of Health and Human Services that Healthcare.gov is secure, Committee on Oversight & Government Reform Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calf.) said Thursday that we must assume that website is still vulnerable and Americans may have [personally identifiable information] hacked and taken.
Healthcare.gov payment system still to be built
The back-end payment system of Healthcare.gov is still being built, a senior Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services official said Thursday in testimony on Capitol Hill.
Accenture wins contract for Obamacare enrollment website
The U.S. government has awarded Accentures Federal Services unit a one-year contract, with an initial payment of $45 million, the Dublin-based company said in a statement Accenture will succeed Montreal-based CGI Group, which drew criticism for the websites early stumbles.
Key Healthcare.gov contractor ousted at end of month
CGI Group, the company that built the main Obamacare website, will be replaced next month when its contract with the U.S. federal government expires, a person familiar with the decision said.
By
Alex Wayne
Humana says Obamacare sign-ups are skewing toward sick
Humana said it expects new Obamacare customers to be sicker and costlier than anticipated, after the U.S. governments decision to let healthier people keep their existing plans.
68% of uninsured yet to visit exchanges
Most uninsured people in the U.S. have yet to try to sign up for health coverage under Obamacare, and a key advocacy group said it will hire more workers to reach those unfamiliar with the law.
By
Alex Wayne