Healthcare reform

The federal government has given approval to launch nonprofit, member-run co-ops in 24 states. The CEO of one of these co-ops offered insight into what such organizations will need to survive.

Most employers still haven’t calculated their costs under the health care reform act, though a majority plan on playing rather than paying, according to a new survey by the Willis Human Capital Practice.

In a Midwest Business Group on Health webinar, representatives from three private health insurance exchanges offered insight into what employers, employees and the overall market can gain from the emerging model.

More than half of employers have not calculated the costs of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, but of those that have, 61% say PPACA has increased their expenses.

ERISA lawyer warns DOL spotlight on 408(b)(2) fees will soon shine on voluntary benefit industry in keynote address at Workplace Benefits Renaissance. Prepare now.

For the first time, the Obama administration is rejecting a state’s request to set up its own exchange under PPACA. At root is a disagreement between Mississippi’s Republican governor, who wants nothing to do with the law, and its insurance commissioner, who is also a Republican, but would rather the state run its own marketplace.

Tenet Healthcare Corp., the third largest U.S. hospital chain, keeps an eye on Medicare patients after they’re released. This isn’t just about professional integrity. Tenet has a financial stake in their well-being.

CMS, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services, plans to collect information from brokers and agents for inclusion in health insurance exchanges. Find out updated timing information here.

The number of Americans projected to gain insurance from the U.S. health care law is eroding, by at least 5 million people, as the Obama administration struggles to implement the $1.3 trillion overhaul amid Republican opposition.

Reaching out to younger Americans, the illiterate and those who don’t speak English (all of whom represent significant portions of the uninsured ) could be the biggest PPACA education task ahead for the Department of Health and Human Services — and employers.

As many as 8 million people will lose health care plans now offered through their employers, the Congressional Budget Office now estimates, up from a previous estimate of 5 million.

Lawmakers from Michigan and Wisconsin were among those who called PPACA a good “first step” toward health care coverage for all Americans at a Families USA conference in Washington.

The number of Americans projected to gain insurance from the U.S. health care law is eroding, by at least 5 million people, as the Obama administration struggles to implement the $1.3 trillion overhaul amid Republican opposition.

The government said the rules announced last week would broaden the types of organizations eligible for an exemption from the birth-control mandate and make it easier for them to escape it.

Payments from drugmakers and medical device companies to doctors must be disclosed to the U.S. government beginning next March, regulators said.

With PPACA implementation in full swing, the top four broker organizations set their sights on making inroads on Capitol Hill to secure regulatory fixes.

Mercer health benefit consultants have come up with a short list of what employer health plan sponsors need to keep top-of-mind in the New Year:

Mercer has launched a private benefit exchange. Called Mercer Marketplace and developed by Benefitfocus, the exchange is available to employers with at least 100 employees. It will provide access to a broad array of benefits - both traditional and voluntary - from multiple insurance providers. Additional education tools and support will help employees customize their choices to better fit their needs, according to the company.

What employers and brokers need to know and do to success under the new health care reform model.

Nelson Griswold on how under health reform a carrier will not determine how much a broker is worth.