Benefit plan design

HHS outlines various conditions and services insurers must cover, and rules to let companies expand employee wellness programs in new proposed regulations of the ACA posted Tuesday.

States received an extra month from the Obama administration to decide whether to build online marketplaces for medical insurance after Republican governors pressed their resistant to the president’s health care law.

Several Republican leaders have either confirmed that they’ll be letting the federal government handle their states’ health care exchanges, or have yet to say, and the deadline is Friday.

The president’s re-election probably spells doom for any short-term efforts to overturn PPACA, and industry professionals who waited to implement health care reform changes can wait no longer.

Health insurance company stocks fall Wednesday after Obama’s re-election affirms PPACA will move forward. Health reform’s product standardization and transparency will “pressure margins,” insurers say, offsetting any potential for increased profits from a larger client base.

The president’s re-election probably spells doom for any short-term efforts to overturn PPACA, and industry professionals who waited to implement health care reform changes can wait no longer.

Updated throughout the day after Obama's re-election, hear what industry leaders and industry groups say the president's win means for the broker community. Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments, too.

President Barack Obama’s re-election means his overhaul of the U.S. health-care system, opposed by most Republicans, will move ahead in all 50 states, with or without the cooperation of their governors.

A recent survey shows a lack of planning around health care reform on the part of many small businesses, and even confusion over the obligation to provide coverage.

New legislation begins this month in Massachusetts, a state ahead of the country on “health care reform,” says EBA Blogger Mark Gaunya. But what can others learn from this new law, a “a state-based, cost control experiment that may prove to be a glimpse of the future in your state?”

Nancy Bolton maintains employers need to plan and implement health care reform provisions no matter who wins the presidential election

Those living in red or blue states are likely to have very different feelings on PPACA, according to a new poll, and possibly different plans on how to deal with it.

Who will do most of the work implementing PPACA? Blogger Ed Bray, J.D., sees a tide that could be turning to a shared role between human resources and finance.

Right now, the barrier of entry is too high for exchanges, say UBA CEO and EBA Contributor Thom Mangan. What are the multiple hurdles that advisers need to be aware of before offering these solutions to clients?

Romney states during presidential debate that he would balance the budget in part by eliminating the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act — but is that plausible?

The Summary of Benefits and Coverage is supposed to be an easy-to-understand summary about a health plan's benefits and coverage. But guest blogger Ed Bray maintains the SBC has the potential to confuse employees.

Advisers and employers need to be diligent about protecting employees’ personal medical information.

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.

The health insurer’s interim CEO has announced plans to create four separate business units for Medicare, Medicaid, commercial and individual sales and dental, vision and disability insurance.

Mississippi’s governor and insurance commissioners are at odds over whether the state should begin its marketplace exchanges in accordance with health care reform.