Healthcare reform

Obama touts new enrollment estimates via Facebook video.

Former president Bill Clinton once conveyed messages of hope by referring to a small town by the same name, and the place of his birth, in Arkansas. Once again, hope springs eternal in the Natural State – this time for preserving and advancing a model that other conservative regions could emulate in crafting a viable political alternative to Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act.

CMS has extended the Feb. 15 ACA open enrollment deadline after technical glitches prevented some individuals from signing up for health care coverage over the weekend.

Cost of health care, confusion over eligibility cited as top reasons for not seeking health coverage, survey says.

The Senate and House of Representatives are pushing legislation to exempt volunteer fire fighters and emergency responders from the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate.

The Senate and House of Representatives are pushing legislation to exempt volunteer fire fighters and emergency responders from the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate.

Tax issues take center stage during broker organization’s legislative summit.

The Supreme Court briefs are in, and we can now say that big business backs the Affordable Care Act.

Commentary: Americans must take the responsible course when it comes to health insurance coverage, says adviser David C. Smith.

A new bipartisan bill has been introduced on the House floor to separate broker commissions from a medical loss ratio formula many in the industry say threatens agent compensation.

Employers opting to drop or forgo health care coverage for employees are still eager for ways to help their staff manage health care needs. Benefit firm FirstPerson has unveiled a unique solution to do just that.

Brokers and agents say the state exchanges did little to engage them during the first enrollment period under the ACA, and many in the industry agree improving the partnership between the exchanges and brokers will be critical to the survival of the state marketplaces.

Benefit Advisors Network partners with exchange firm to help clients get coverage for benefit-ineligible employees.

Commentary: Bundled MEC plans insure workers while helping employers avoid new penalties, says Sam Fleet.

The introduction of new legislation to repeal the ACA’s employer mandate seeks to relieve employers of health care reform requirements Republicans say threaten job creation and growth. While many in the benefits industry applaud an effort widely considered futile, the employer mandate is only one of several ACA concerns employers say they have prioritized.

The Affordable Care Act has a lot of work to do to get Americans more employer-based health coverage, particularly those working for small companies.

The Affordable Care Act’s coverage provisions are now estimated to cost the government 20% less than originally estimated for the five-year period ending 2019, according to updated analysis from the Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation.

Brokers cite rate increases, increased complexity and poor plan quality as top concerns with the health care law.

The Senate has begun debate on a controversial effort to redefine a full-time employee under the Affordable Care Act from one who works 30 hours per week to one who works 40 hours per week — a move that could release many employers from having to offer health care coverage to their employees.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a technology policy advocacy group, says it has confirmed that the federal government's Healthcare.gov is sharing personal data, including ZIP code, income level, smoking status, pregnancy status, and more, with at least 14 third parties.