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Commentary: Big financial moves such as the merger between Willis and Towers Watson announced this week can be quite interesting; and if you study them they may actually tell a story about where these firms think the market is going.
As small employers shift from group to individual coverage, private exchanges can be a useful tool to keep brokers competitive and maximize profits during the transition.
As Towers Watson & Co. and Willis Group Holdings Plc head to the altar for an all-stock merger valued at $18 billion, their respective private exchanges could command the roles of best man and bridesmaid.
The merger of Willis and Towers Watson is likely just one of many to come in the next few years, as the Affordable Care Act and other factors continue to change the landscape of the business of health care, industry experts agree.
Commentary: With their merger, both Willis and Towers Watson are playing offense, creating a synergy that strengthens both firms by combining the unique strengths of each the brokerage experience of Willis and the analytical, consultative services of Towers Watson.
It turns out that two of the most common consumer complaints about HIX plans mirror longstanding gripes about traditional health insurance, but theres a movement afoot to ensure provider network directories are accurate and help patients better calculate and budget for out-of-pocket costs in the nascent online marketplace.
Rising health care costs and concerns for employees financial wellness and retirement preparedness are nudging employers to re-evaluate their benefit offerings.
Commentary: Having quality data is great for comparing health plan, facility and treatment performance, but it unfortunately hasnt led to predictable costs.
The merger of Willis Group Holdings and Towers Watson announced this morning is indicative of the industrys focus on offering more comprehensive services to a wider customer base, and experts agree it probably wont be the last merger announced in the near future.
Willis, the worlds third-largest insurance broker, and risk adviser Towers Watson, agreed to an all-stock merger creating a firm with a combined market value of $18 billion.
Commentary: Questions plan sponsors should be asking of their insurance carrier, payroll vendor and benefits technology provider in advance of the ACAs information reporting requirements.
Although the Supreme Court upheld subsidies on the exchanges, there remain key aspects of the ACA that broker and employer lobbyist organizations continue to seek to amend and/or repeal.
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.
Commentary: The next case to watch, launched by Speaker John Boehner last November, could once again put public exchange assistance in jeopardy.
The Supreme Courts 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.
Eliminating subsidies would destabilize the individual insurance market in any state with a federal exchange, Chief Roberts says.
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?
The time of what-ifs for employers ended Thursday as the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling upholding the challenge to state subsidies in King v. Burwell, and employers should maintain business as usual going forward, according to most industry observers.
The Supreme Courts highly anticipated decision in King v. Burwell to uphold subsidies on the federal exchange removes uncertainty and shifts the focus of advisers and their clients back to ACA compliance.
A 6-3 decision in favor of the HHS secretary in King v. Burwell means tax credits can continue to be used to purchase health coverage in states using the federal exchange.
