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PPACA’s influence on technology

In the two years since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's passage the health care industry has seen a flurry of activity. And much of this activity has been around technology innovation related to health insurance exchanges, but there are other technologies in the works as well. Here is a retrospective on the last two years of technology innovation, which also serves as a good indicator of where technology will likely be going in HIT as it may relate to PPACA.

By John Lamb

VP and Group Head

EBIX

March 1

Benefit plan design

Supreme Court may wait until 2014 to rule on individual mandate

This summer, the Supreme Court is set to rule on the constitutionality of a provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that requires individuals to buy health insurance or pay a tax penalty. Tuesday, the Supreme Court increased the time for next months oral arguments from 5.5 hours to six hours, allowing an extra half hour to discuss the Tax Anti-Injunction Act, a law that says courts may not halt a tax that isnt yet being collected.

By Lisa V. Gillespie

Writer

February 22

Benefit plan design

Rule to ease consumer understanding of health insurance policies

Six federal agencies have issued a final rule requiring insurers to provide to consumers at the time of enrollment a plain-English summary of benefits and coverage, and a uniform glossary of terms.

By Joseph Goedert

Senior Editor

Health Data Management

February 14

Healthcare reform

Lawmakers push for employer engagement with health IT and payment reform

Tuesday morning, the 2012 Employer Health and Human Capitol Congress kicked off in Washington, D.C., with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) emphasizing the role of employers in pushing for payment reform in the health care system and advancing health information technology, which could drastically change health care spending and costs to both employees and employees.

By Lisa V. Gillespie

Writer

February 7

Benefit plan design

Senate MLR bill tweaks House legislation, has industry optimistic

A Senate bill introduced Friday as a companion to legislation in the House that would exclude agent compensation from the Medical Loss Ratio formula has industry organizations optimistic about a permanent fix.

By Marli D. Riggs

February 6

Benefit plan design

House repeals CLASS Act, part of PPACA

The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to officially repeal the CLASS Act, the long-term care provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

By Brian M. Kalish

Online Managing Editor, Health Care Group

SourceMedia

February 2

Healthcare reform

Catholics hear protests of Obama health ruling at Mass

U.S. Catholic bishops and priests across the country read out letters at Mass on Sunday protesting plans by President Barack Obama's administration to force religiously-affiliated nonprofit groups to offer birth-control coverage to women employees.

By Reuters

January 30

Healthcare reform

NAHU Cap Con applauds advances in MLR legislation

On the last day of the National Association of Health Underwriters 2012 Capitol Conference hundreds of attendees received exciting industry news that made the ballroom erupt with a roar of applause and cheers.

By Marli D. Riggs

January 26

Benefit plan design

BPO services offered to boost health exchanges

Policy Studies Inc. has a new business process outsourcing service to help address the requirements and deadlines for implementing health insurance exchanges and marketplaces, the company reports.

By Pat Speer

President

Speer Content Strategy & Development

January 25

Healthcare reform

Agents play a “big role” in Congressional legislation

Insurance agents play a big role in making sure Congressional legislation comes out the way it does, two members of the House told the National Association of Health Underwriters Capitol Conference Tuesday.

By Brian M. Kalish

Online Managing Editor, Health Care Group

SourceMedia

January 25

Healthcare reform

U.S. says 28 states took steps on health insurance exchanges

The Obama administration said last week that 28 states have taken steps to establish insurance exchanges under the 2010 health care law, despite the legal and political uncertainties threatening the overhaul.

By David Morgan

January 23

Healthcare reform

HR hospital execs see health reform changes throttling toward them, unsure how to prepare

A majority of human resource executives at U.S. hospitals and health care systems expect health care reform to hasten the transformation of the industrys traditional business model, according to a new survey by Towers Watson. The survey also found that workforce issues, including shortages of primary care physicians, the need for a wider array of staff skills and new leadership models, will rise in importance as the industry grapples with this transformation.

By Editorial Staff

January 11

Benefit plan design

Small business health care stuck on hold

When it comes to health care, small business owners aren't making any fast moves. Faced with higher premiums again in the year ahead, many business owners have found themselves in a holding pattern. They're concerned about the rising costs and the possible impact of health reform, but unsure about making any changes until they have more clarity or options.

By Diana Ransom

January 10

Benefit plan design

Critics call for Supreme Court justices to step down from health care proceedings due to ties to industry, administration

Chief Justice John Roberts expressed confidence on Saturday in the decisions by his Supreme Court colleagues on when to recuse themselves, an issue that has emerged in the legal battle over President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law.

By James Vicini

January 4

Practice management

Biggest financial surprises of 2011

In every year, there are a host of surprises that come along like earthquakes: They are nearly impossible to predict. We can be thankful that more didn't go wrong with the global economy, although things could certainly go haywire next year. Check out four issues, including health care reform, that made the list.

By John F. Wasik

December 30

Benefit plan design

Agencies extend benefits summary deadline & provide guidance on mental health coverage

The trio of federal agencies charged with interpreting and enforcing the Affordable Care Act and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act have addressed some of the most significant questions arising from these laws. In a set of Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, the U.S. Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services have intimated that the looming ACA deadline for the production and distribution of summaries of benefits and coverage will be extended.

By Edward I. Leeds

Counsel

Ballard Spahr LLC

December 2

Benefit plan design

Most insurers met spending limits under law: GAO

Most U.S. health insurers last year would have satisfied the much-disputed spending rules under President Obama's health care reform, according to a new report by a congressional watchdog agency.

December 1

Healthcare reform

Going for the interception

Anticipating the increase in age of covered dependents to 26 starting in 2011, as required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the benefits team at Dick's Sporting Goods decided to clean the company's benefit rolls data with a dependent eligibility audit before this provision went into effect and before annual enrollment in the fall of 2010.

By Kathleen Koster

Freelance Writer

December 1

Benefit plan design

More Americans than not want health law repeal

As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to review President Obama's health care reform, more Americans want to it repealed than want to keep it, a poll released on Wednesday shows.

By David Morgan

November 17

Benefits Think Driving your CDHP off the lot and creating satisfied customers

Are you providing a helpful owners manual with your CDHP plans? In todays BeAdvised Helen Box-Farnen shares why ongoing education for participants just may increase the value of this plan.

November 15