Healthcare reform

Top Senate and House negotiators are near agreement to fund implementation of the Affordable Care Act, says Iowa Democrat Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the panel that sets spending for the Department of Health and Human Services.

John Seltzer, along with son Jason, establishes the groundwork for an enduring business with a focus on consultative sales.

In response to consumer confusion about deadlines related to the Affordable Care Act, insurer says it will extend the deadline and accept payment online.

Despite increased traffic to health exchange websites, more than half (59%) of uninsured Americans say their experience with them was negative, compared to just 39% who report a positive experience, according to Gallup.

Part of President Barack Obama’s health-care law is on hold in a Colorado case until at least tomorrow, as the U.S. Supreme Court considers contentions from religious groups that say they don’t want to facilitate coverage for contraception.

About 2.1 million people have medical coverage as of yesterday through Obamacare after a late surge in enrollment helped regain ground lost to the botched debut of insurance exchanges created by the U.S. health-care overhaul.

More than 975,000 Americans signed up this month for health insurance under Obamacare, pushing total enrollment above 1.1 million in 36 states covered by the U.S. healthcare.gov website.

ERISA permits e-disclosures but employers need to be aware of the rules.

From Maryland to Hawaii, Obamacare’s state-run enrollment operations are running into technical difficulties, creating new headaches for the White House even as the federal insurance website finds its footing.

(Bloomberg) – Today’s deadline for Americans to sign up for Obamacare health coverage effective Jan. 1 was extended until midnight tomorrow as heavy traffic to the online enrollment system caused a queuing system to be activated. Government technicians deploy the queuing system when traffic at the site, healthcare.gov, approaches 50,000 simultaneous users. Customers can request that an e-mail automatically be sent when traffic subsides. …

2013 is not over yet. Employers and HR and benefits professionals must address these 14 compliance issues before the New Year begins. Timothy F. Kennedy is a partner in Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads’s Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Practice, concisely outlines retirement and health care issues that plan sponsors must consider in the following days.

President Barack Obama said the thousands of people now signing up for coverage under the Affordable Care Act overshadow the hit he’s been taking in the polls for the defect-riddled roll-out of the Affordable Care Act.

Hundreds of thousands of people whose health plans are being canceled because their coverage doesn’t meet Obamacare rules will be exempt next year from the U.S. mandate that all Americans carry medical insurance.

Security on the ACA exchanges needs to be taken very seriously by advisers.

Columnist Jack Kwicien on how you go about selecting the right merger candidate.

Benefits broker John Garven juggles enrollment meetings while using Twitter to amplify his business.

High enrollment numbers increase phone hold times on state exchanges, as computer enrollment keeps pace

Much concern had been voiced about the ability for consumers and insurers alike to execute billing and payment between Dec. 23 and Dec. 31 for coverage effective Jan. 1. AHIP offered to extend that deadline to Jan. 10 on Wednesday.

Why small employers haven’t bought into private exchanges — yet

It’s no surprise that the year ahead is going to mean skyrocketing voluntary sales. But experts say it’s no easy feat for health brokers trying to break into the business.