Small Business Health Insurance Tax Credit – IRS Guidelines
The IRS has just issued preliminary guidelines on the health insurance tax credit for small businesses – and it looks good. This will make the cost of health insurance more affordable for many small...
View ArticleAssertions of Wellpoint Rescissions “Simply Wrong”
On Thursday, April 22, 2010, Reuters reported that “WellPoint … has specifically targeted women with breast cancer for aggressive investigation with the intent to cancel their policies…” Wellpoint...
View ArticleSmall Business Health Care Tax Credit – More IRS Guidance
The IRS has provided additional information on the tax credit for small businesses that provide health insurance to their employees. The IRS has elaborated on provisions of the small business health...
View ArticleGuaranteed Health Insurance for Children in California
One provision of the new Federal health insurance reform law (PPACA) that became effective on September 23, 2010 was the requirement that all health insurance companies approve children under age 19...
View ArticleCalifornia Health Insurance Exchange – Update
I recently had the opportunity to hear Susan Kennedy speak at the Milken Institute Forum entitled: Federal Health Reform: Can It Achieve Its Goals? Susan Kennedy was Gov. Schwarzenegger’s chief of...
View ArticleCalifornia Allows Deduction of Health Insurance for Dependents up to age 27
On April 7, 2011 California enacted Assembly Bill 36 which allows employees and the self employed to deduct the cost of health insurance premium for dependents under the age of 27. This conforms...
View ArticleCalifornia Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) vs. California Major...
The California Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) was set up under the new Federal health insurance reform law (PPACA). It’s supposed to go until 1/1/2014 at which time there will be no...
View ArticleIs buying individual dental insurance for a child’s orthodontia (braces) a...
Visit a dentist or orthodontist with your young child and be told that braces are needed leads one to the question: Should I buy an individual California dental insurance plan to cover the cost of...
View ArticleMedical Insurance Reform Update: March 2012
To mark the two year anniversary of President Obama’s signing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act we’ve written a summary of the most important changes that impact individuals and small...
View ArticleMLR Rebates: Employers must share with Employees
California medical insurance companies may soon refund money to their customers because of the minimum “Medical Loss Ratio” requirements of the new Federal Health Insurance Law, PPACA. Insurance...
View ArticleBlue Shield of CA to give Small Groups 18% Refund September 2012
Blue Cross of California has announced that they will issue all of their small group clients (i.e., employers with 2-50 employees) a one-time credit of 18% of the monthly health insurance premium. The...
View ArticleCalifornia Health Benefit Exchange has a New Name: Covered California
The State of California is hard at work to create the first government-run entity to sell health insurance as required by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Since first created, the entity has been called...
View ArticleHealth Insurance Reform (ACA) Update – November 2012
I’ve written 4 articles on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the newsletter section of BenefitsCafe.com. The articles will help employers and individuals who purchase their own coverage understand a...
View ArticleUHC Estimates Premium Increases as High as 116% in 2014 from Health Care...
United Health Care (UHC), the largest health insurance company in the US, yesterday held a webinar for agents on changes they will be making to their products to comply with the Affordable Care Act...
View ArticleIs it possible to provide high quality medical care at a low cost?
Everyone is concerned about the ever-rising cost of medical care and health insurance premiums. In this newsletter, we give links to a PBS documentary, podcasts from This American Life, and articles...
View ArticleNew Trend in Health Insurance: Hospitals and Medical Groups Becoming Insurers
Sutter Health, a large medical group and hospital chain in Northern California, has applied to become an HMO/insurance company. According to this article, Sutter Health submitted its application to the...
View ArticleCovered California Health Exchange Releases 2013 Report
Covered California, the new name for the California Health Benefit Exchange, has just released a report on its activities. Addressed to the Governor and Legislature, the report describes the reasons...
View ArticleWaive or Decline – A Huge Difference for California Small Group Health...
"The BIG, hugely impactful decision Covered California, DOI and DMHC must make is: must an insurance company consider an employee enrolled in an individual health insurance plan.. to have a valid...
View ArticleIndividual Coverage for Employees: Health Care Reform (ACA) May Create...
In 2014, when the new market rules take effect, a business owner may be able to choose between the small group and individual market to purchase coverage for employees... Same product in two separate...
View ArticleNo Federal Subsidies for Families if Company offers Employees Affordable...
Unless an employer decides to contribute a portion of the premium for dependent coverage (and employers get no credit for this contribution under the ACA) then employees will shoulder the entire...
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