Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) are federally regulated, employer-sponsored health benefit plans that allow participants to receive reimbursement for eligible out-of-pocket healthcare expenses (including certain health insurance premiums). Reimbursements for eligible medical expenses made via an HRA are 100% employer funded, and are generally excluded from federal, state and Social Security taxes.

Non-profits value providing health insurance to their employees. But for many non-profits, a traditional group health plan may not be cost effective for employees or the organization. Stand-alone Health Reimbursement Arrangments (HRAs) are a new alternative to employer-sponsored group health insurance plans. Stand-alone HRAs are gaining popularity with non-profits, as they provide non-profits a way to offer employees excellent health benefits without the cost or complication of group health insurance. 

Having the right health insurance for you and your family is extremely important. In order to help you find the plan that fits your needs, you need to understand the different health insurance terms used by health insurance companies. Here are 73 health insurance terms you should be familiar with. Knowing these insurance terms will prepare you for evaluating options available in the new Health Insurance Marketplaces coming in October 2013.

As small business health insurance costs continue to rise, employers are looking for ways to offer health benefits at a lower price. An online alternative, often referred to as a defined contribution health plan, allows an employer to name its price. Rather than paying the costs to provide a specific small business health plan (a "defined benefit"), employers instead fix their costs by establishing a monthly dollar amount (a “defined contribution”) that employees choose how to spend.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a final rule on Feb. 22 that implements key provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including the requirement to cover people with pre-existing conditions. The final rule further implements the following five provisions of ACA that are applicable to non-grandfathered health plans:

Here's an attempt at a simple flow chart to help an employer figure out which tax penalties (if any) apply for not offering qualified, affordable health insurance coverage to employees. 

If you are interested in better understanding who does and does not purchase health insurance in the United States, check on the Census Bureau's revised figures on health insurance coverage.

Health care reform is complex, and change is hard. Here are three (3) charts that will help you better understand some of Healthcare Reform's Key Provisions.

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The process of finding proper health insurance and dealing with potential claims can be a daunting task for many employees. However, some employees do not realize that there are numerous resources available to help evaluate, purchase and manage an individual health insurance policy. We have compiled the top 5 resources you can use in addition to clarifyinghealth.com for health insurance information. These sources are designed to provide you with unbiased information that is meant to educate and promote greater health insurance understanding among consumers.