Preparing Employers and Employees for 2021 Benefit Plans Decisions
This post was updated on February 6, 2024, to reflect the 2024 Federal Poverty Level announced in January 2024. On August 23, 2023, the Internal Revenue Service issued Rev. Proc. 2023-29, announcing that the Affordable...more
The fifth Open Enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) started on November 1st, and will continue for a scant 45 days ending on December 15, 2017. This year, not only has the Open Enrollment been cut in half,...more
With open enrollment in full swing for many employers, now is a good time to review employee benefit communications. Plan sponsors of health plans are generally responsible for properly administering all of the health plan...more
As 2017 comes to an end, we are pleased to present our traditional End of Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” Lists. This year, we are presenting our “To Do” Lists in four separate Employee Benefits Updates. This Part 1 will cover...more
On April 18, 2017, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published in the Federal Register a final rule (the "Final Rule") aimed at stabilizing the individual and small group health insurance markets...more
The Department of Health and Human Services released the final Affordable Care Act marketplace stabilization rules (“Final Rule”) on April 13, 2017. The Final Rules become effective on June 19, 2017 and will, accordingly,...more
Not relying on Congress to take action on the Affordable Care Act, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) has proposed new regulations intended to attract health insurance issuers back into ACA health...more
On 15 February 2017, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) took a step toward addressing concerns about the stability of the individual and small group health insurance markets by proposing a modicum of...more
Bicameral Bill Introduced to Provide HHS Authority to Reject Proposed Insurance Rates - Before Congress left for its Columbus Day recess, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) introduced the Health...more
Iowa's largest insurer joins the State's Marketplace for coverage year 2017; carrier changes are announced for Marketplaces in Kentucky, Oklahoma and Wyoming; and South Dakota's Governor convenes the Health Care Solutions...more
Increased plan choice on HealthCare.gov is linked to lower premium growth; Arizona seeks changes to Medicaid expansion; and California and New York release detailed Marketplace and Medicaid enrollment reports....more
The President’s budget reveals the healthcare agenda for his Administration’s penultimate year. Medicaid expansion proposals advance in Arkansas and Wyoming; California’s Marketplace reports 9 out of every 10 enrollees remain...more
We are now more than two weeks into the Affordable Care Act (ACA’s) second open enrollment period, and 765,000 individuals have obtained coverage through HealthCare.gov. On Capitol Hill, House lawmakers filed a lawsuit...more
With the 2015 Open Enrollment Period (OEP) officially launched as of November 15, this week’s news highlights Marketplaces’ preparation for and tracking of outreach and enrollment – including 100,000 applications submitted on...more
In This Issue: - Smoother Open Enrollment Sets Stage for Shift in Congressional Focus - Implementation of the Affordable Care Act - Other Federal Regulatory Initiatives - Congressional Initiatives ...more
New IRS guidance adds two more events that allow participants to change their cafeteria plan elections outside of the annual open enrollment period. These events are designed to coordinate with the employer coverage rules and...more
News from the Health Law Gurus™ is a weekly summary of notable health law news from around the country with helpful links to related content. Check back every week for the latest health law news stories. HIPAA in the...more
In this week’s news, many states’ Marketplaces have begun to communicate with current enrollees about how to renew their coverage during the 2015 Open Enrollment Period; meanwhile, the federal government announced the...more
Welcome to the first publication of the “Manatt on Health Reform: Weekly Highlights” newsletter. Many of you are familiar with the healthcare reform tracking efforts and weekly newsletters we produced for the KidsWell...more
Last week, HHS’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation published a Report offering health plan enrollment data for the state-based insurance marketplaces authorized by the Affordable Care Act...more
Since President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in March 2010, various provisions of the law have taken effect. However, its core pieces become effective this year....more
Along with stocking stuffers and gifts, last-minute Christmas shoppers have another item to put on their list: another chance to purchase health insurance coverage through the Federal Insurance Exchange. The Obama...more
In This Issue: - Top News ..HHS Gives Mixed Messages Regarding Federal Health Care Program-Status of Qualified Health Care Plans (QHPs) ..HHS Issues Health Insurance Marketplace Enrollment Report Snapshot ...more
As the healthcare community readies itself for patients securing health coverage through the exchanges, various techniques are being considered to encourage and facilitate patient enrollment in a health plan. One question...more
On November 6, 2013, CMS announced that it plans to turn on claims processing edits (effective January 6, 2014) to deny Part B clinical laboratory and imaging, and DMEPOS, and Part A home health agency claims that fail...more