Insurance startup Oscar quits two markets, rethinks ACA plans
Insurer will reevaluate its approach to the Affordable Care Act after suffering significant losses under the U.S. program and will pull out of Dallas and New Jersey markets next year.
Federal health insurance exchanges
Higher ACA exchange rates offer group market lessons
Importing provider networks, increasing deductibles and cost sharing are just a few proposed ways to make private benefit exchanges more efficient.
Benefits Think Aetna’s ACA brushback is part of the game
The insurer warned the government in a July letter that it would be financially forced to step back its participation in the individual insurance exchanges if the DOJ tried to block its $28 billion purchase of Humana. Guess what happened, writes Max Nisen.
Max Nisen
Bloomberg Gadfly
Insurer exits from public exchanges turn few choices into none
Later this year, residents of Pinal County, Ariz., who go shopping for health insurance under the ACA will face a peculiar dilemma — they’ll have to buy a product that may not exist.
Agent participation in federal marketplace grows
Broker-friendly changes and ‘more open dialogue’ with CMS have led to multiple favorable changes for the community.
Are employers finally embracing public exchanges?
More than half are optimistic that the marketplaces will be an alternative to coverage they now offer their pre-Medicare-eligible retirees by 2018.
Benefits Think Has the single-payer era arrived?
With the market condensing to a few big carriers, such as Anthem, adviser Vinnie Daboul predicts the health insurance system is entering a new phase.
Vinnie Daboul
Sage Benefit Advisers
Benefits Think Has the single-payer era arrived?
With the market condensing to a few big carriers, such as Anthem, adviser Vinnie Daboul predicts the health insurance system is entering a new phase.
Vinnie Daboul
Sage Benefit Advisers
Benefits Think How the ACA is affecting benefits enrollment
Plan sponsors must stay ahead of emerging trends or risk exposing themselves to additional costs, says Hodges-Mace’s Eric Helman.
Eric Helman
Hodges-Mace
Benefits Think How the ACA is affecting benefits enrollment
Advisers must stay ahead of emerging trends or risk exposing clients to additional costs, says Hodges-Mace’s Eric Helman.
Eric Helman
Hodges-Mace
Benefits Think Colorado’s proposed health system bound to end in failure
To reduce healthcare prices and improve care, a better approach would be to invest in technology that makes cost and quality data more transparent, says adviser Mark Gaunya.
Mark Gaunya
Borislow Insurance
Benefits Think Colorado’s proposed single-payer health system is bound to end in failure
To reduce healthcare prices and improve care, a better approach would be to invest in technology that makes cost and quality data transparent to consumers, says Mark Gaunya.
Mark Gaunya
Borislow Insurance
Employer-sponsored health insurance to cost the U.S. $266 billion in 2016
These tax breaks for employees account for the lion’s share of what the federal government spends on healthcare for Americans under age 65.
Employer-sponsored health insurance to cost the U.S. $266 billion in 2016
These tax breaks for employees account for the lion’s share of what the federal government spends on healthcare for Americans under age 65.
Senate votes to repeal most of the ACA despite veto threat
The U.S. Senate voted Thursday to repeal the core of the Affordable Care Act, bringing Congress closer to sending legislation to President Barack Obama for the first time that would dismantle his signature domestic achievement.
Does ERISA preempt state health database laws?
Commentary: This week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Gobeille v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., which has vital implications for employee benefit plans and for future attempts to impose state-specific regimes to gather health data from those plans.
LIMRA chair: Renew focus on retirement and regulatory challenges in 2016
As LIMRA celebrates 100 years in the industry in 2016, the association will renew its focus on retirement research, education and training and continue to evaluate the impact of the DOLs pending fiduciary rule.
ACA reporting: A must-do for benefit advisers
ACA reporting becomes mandatory in 2016. Preparing employers to be compliant with reporting requirements is a core service that advisers should be offering, industry experts say.
PBGC pays nearly $6B in benefits to retirees
Deficits rose for both single-employer and multiemployer programs, a new report finds. Yet, the pension community is hopeful the new PBGC director will create a better future.
An in-depth look at Montanile v. Board of Trustees
Commentary: The benefits community should pay close attention to this ERISA case and should be prepared to quickly adapt procedures according to the Supreme Courts forthcoming ruling, which is expected by June 2016.