$1.5 million HIPAA settlement shows privacy lapses can be costly
Advisers and employers need to be diligent about protecting employees personal medical information.
Benefit plan design
Health care a jarring point in presidential debate
During an at times confrontational second debate between President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney, health care and the landmark health care reform bill were, surprisingly, not a focus, and when the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act did come up, it was primarily used as an attack vehicle.
WellPoint reorganizes into distinct business units
The health insurers interim CEO has announced plans to create four separate business units for Medicare, Medicaid, commercial and individual sales and dental, vision and disability insurance.
Miss. officials bicker over starting PPACA exchange
Mississippis governor and insurance commissioners are at odds over whether the state should begin its marketplace exchanges in accordance with health care reform.
What is the real cost of free womens health care?
Theres no such thing as a free lunch, so when health reform offers women free preventative services, many are left wondering where they came from.
Obama, Romney frame health debate in terms of cost
In first presidential debate, the former Massachusetts governor championed the private sector, but offered few details on his plan to replace Obamacare.
Most insurers not yet providing SBCs
Based on a review of 35 major health plan websites, most issuers are still struggling to provide the Summary of Benefits and Coverage, even while the SBC provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act took effect last week, according to Tyrula LLC.
Election signals change for health care reform
The outcome of Novembers presidential and Congressional elections could bring change to how quickly the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is implemented.
Fixing health care from an IT mindset
John Lamb shares how health care can be fixed by using an IT mindset.
Surviving the PPACA tsunami
Nelson Griswold on how brokers can survive the PPACA health reform tsunami.
Romney touts his states health law but still opposes PPACA
Republican Mitt Romney cited a Massachusetts health care law he backed as showing his empathy, then later reiterated his pledge to repeal national legislation modeled after the states measure as he and President Barack Obama crisscrossed Ohio yesterday.
EBRI report: 26% of respondents rate nations health care system poor
More than one-fourth of Americans rate the nations health care system poor, according to a new report by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.
Rise of medical costs tops projections
Health care reform hits a bump in the road as new numbers indicate that insurance is more expensive and fewer people have it.
House Committee passes MLR Bill fix
The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee Thursday passed a bill that would exclude compensation paid for licensed independent insurance producers from the premium portion of the medical loss ratio calculation.
U.S. state officials in stealth mode on health exchanges
Mississippi insurance commissioner Mike Chaney is in a tight spot. By law, he is required to implement Democratic President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. But as a Republican from deeply conservative Mississippi one of 26 states that sued Washington over Obama's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Chaney is a target of critics who say he is betraying his party.
In boost for Obama, U.S. getting more optimistic: Reuters/Ipsos poll
Americans are becoming more optimistic about the direction of the country, giving a boost to President Barack Obama in the final stretch of the race for the White House, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed on Wednesday.
By
Jeff Mason
Meghan McCain: Health reform requires cooperation
It was a common theme at the 7th Annual Employee Benefit Adviser Summit in Phoenix this week that no matter who wins the presidential election in November, changes are forthcoming for benefit plans and administration. According to political activist and commentator Meghan McCain, should President Barack Obama keep his job, changes will be coming for the Republican Party as well.
Meghan McCain: Health reform requires cooperation
The pundit and senators daughter says the Republican Party needs to shift with the times or risk extinction.
Employers have lots of health reform work left to do
Employers turn to private retiree Medicare exchanges for a glimpse of what insurance exchanges under PPACA might look like in 2014
Clinton: Obamas health care law will benefit ordinary Americans
In a detailed and passionate endorsement of his former rival, former President Bill Clinton amplified the central argument of President Barack Obama's re-election campaign: that voters face a choice between Democratic policies that lead to broad prosperity or Republican policies that benefit the wealthy at the expense of everyone else.