Overview of ACOs (Accountable Care Organizations) and Healthcare Reform

Beginning in 2012, the Healthcare Reform's Affordable Care Act is requiring Medicare to use Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in an attempt to slow the rise of health care costs.  So, what's an ACO?

Employer Continue to Cancel Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance

The number of Americans getting their health insurance through their employer is the lowest since Gallup began tracking the numbers in January 2008.  

New Rules for HRA Debit Cards

The Internal Revenue Service has issued new guidance allowing the continued use of health flexible spending arrangement (FSA) and health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) debit cards for the purchase of prescribed over-the-counter medicines and drugs.

Kentucky Requires Individual Health Insurance Carriers to Offer Child-Only Policies

Kentucky Insurance Commissioner Sharon Clark has ordered all individual health insurance companies doing business in Kentucky to offer an open enrollment period in January for Kentuckians younger than 19, effectively requiring insurers to provide "child-only" policies.

Quote: "Healthcare Reform is Unconsitutional"

Today, U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson ruled that the provision of the Affordable Care Act that would require many individuals to own health coverage is unconstitutional.

McDonalds Among Companies Receiving Healthcare Reform Waiver

Earlier this year, reports surfaced that McDonald's Inc. was considering canceling its mini-med limited benefit plans due to new health reform requirements taking effect January 1st, 2011. According to the WSJ.com, Home Depot Inc., Disney Worldwide Services, CVS Caremark Corp., Staples Inc. and Blockbuster Inc. offer similar mini-med plans. 

Earlier this year, we provided a step by step guide to calculating the Small Business Health Care Tax credit by hand.

Overview of the Group Health Insurance Study

In a recent brief, The Commonwealth Fund reviews State Trends in Premium and Deductibles from 2003-2009.  "In the six years from 2003 to 2009, total family premiums for employer-sponsored plans rose a cumulative average of 41 percent. The six-year increase in family premiums ranged from about 21 percent in the lowest-growth state (Delaware) to 59 percent in the highest-growth state (Louisiana). Seven states saw increases of 50 percent or more, and 23 states saw increases of 40 percent or more, well above the rate of income growth."

Health Insurance Agents Refuse to Give Up

During Today's Morning Edition, NPR's Jenny Gold reviews the pros of cons of using a health insurance broker.

Employers Take Advantage of New Section 125 and Section 105 Rules

Zane Benefits, Inc. (http://www.ZaneBenefits.com) helps employers take advantage of new IRS laws (Section 125 and Section 105) that allow employers and employees to contribute tax free dollars to individual health insurance costs.    Zane Benefits' solution involves a switch to employer-funded individual health insurance in which each employee receives a tax-free monthly allowance to purchase their own individual policy.