Healthcare plans

Commentary: The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 allows quality measurement organizations to develop quality measures using Medicare data and share it with employers and insurers for the purposes of designing their health plans.

The landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision being cheered as a step toward equality is also poised to carry unintended consequences, including some that could make life harder for employees, gay and straight alike.

Commentary: The next case to watch, launched by Speaker John Boehner last November, could once again put public exchange assistance in jeopardy.

The Supreme Court’s ruling in King v. Burwell that subsides on the federally-facilitated marketplace can continue may present an opportunity for struggling state-based marketplaces to switch to Healthcare.gov, as other challenges remain for exchanges nationwide.

Today, in a 6-3 decision written by Chief Justice Roberts, the Supreme Court ruled in King v. Burwell that subsidies used to purchase health insurance in the 36 states on the federally facilitated marketplace are legal, thus avoiding the “death spiral” so often referred to by Congress. What does this ruling mean for employers?

An aging workforce, coupled with demands for the latest eyewear fashions, is putting pressure on employer-sponsored vision benefits.

Commentary: The vast majority of employers are not prepared to meet — and some remain simply unaware of — the employer mandate’s complex reporting obligations.

An “engagement chasm” is adding to the low adoption and participation rates employers face when developing their health and wellness programs, with even electronic or online tools doing little to keep employees motivated in health, fitness and dietary programs.

Cigna Corp. rejected Anthem Inc.’s $47 billion takeover bid, saying it was inadequate and not in the best interests of shareholders.

In the eight states that have announced their 2016 proposed rates for purchasing coverage on the public health care exchanges, the average increase for a silver plan is 5.8%.

Most of the 13 state-run public health insurance have collectively spent $4.8 billion in federal funding during their first 17 months of operations and face serious cash-flow problems.

The House passed H.R. 160, the Protect Medical Innovation Act, by a vote of 280 to 140. The bill was introduced by Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.), a member of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee.

High deductible health plan sponsors, as well as employers considering making that switch, should review their employees’ health care purchasing patterns and their communication campaigns to encourage appropriate use of the plans.

Ending the Cadillac tax, simplifying the reporting process and eliminating the automatic enrollment requirement are a few of the legislative recommendations the American Benefits Council is urging Congress to act on.

Small-size employers with between 51 and 100 employees currently in large-business group health plans will have to transition to small-business group plans upon their renewal on or after Jan. 1, 2016.

Commentary: Preparing a new multiyear strategic benefits plan may require as much (or more) effort than the Affordable Care Act has consumed.

The new reality of health care is here: shopping for benefits online via simple mobile apps; virtual care anytime, anywhere; and games to make chronic care management appealing. Despite that, challenges remain in the move to true digital health and, with it, better outcomes, a top Cigna executive said Monday.

While many plan sponsors may choose the same firm to audit their benefit plan that audits their company’s financial statements, doing so may not always be the best choice, cautions the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

House Republicans yesterday introduced a plan to repeal the ACA and replace key pieces of it with high-risk health pools and tax credits that benefit industry experts oppose, saying it would undermine the employer-sponsored health care system in place today.

Chiropractors and other ancillary health care providers are breathing a sigh of relief following an about-face by federal regulators with respect to Affordable Care Act’s coverage of their services.