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Sears Switches to Defined Contribution & Private Exchange Model
Sears Holdings Corp. has joined the ranks of thousands of businesses small and large, by announcing it will move to a Defined Contribution model for employee health benefits in 2013. Through the plan,...
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HHS Releases Proposed Rules on Essential Health Benefits
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) yesterday issued several proposed rules regarding a number of key provisions of the Affordable Care Act. The rules are now subject to comment from...
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Why Don't All Businesses Use HRAs?
Today, HRAs powering standalone defined contribution plans (DCP) are a solution for millions of small employers unable to afford and/or administer a group plan. However, from 2002 to 2011, it is...
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How to Offer a Private Health Insurance Exchange in 3 Steps
The biggest buzzword of this decade in the employee health benefits market is "Private Health Insurance Exchange". Numerous entities ranging from start-ups to new divisions of leading insurance...
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Defined Contribution Plans (DCPs) - An Overview
In an environment of continual premium increases, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is forcing firms to consider alternative employee health benefits programs. A defined contribution plan, or DCP, provides...
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15 Facts About Health Reimbursement Accounts
Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs) are the chassi for defined contribution plans (DCPs), and are essentially "business expense accounts for healthcare". Here are 15 facts about HRAs.1. Health...
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In Defense of Defined-Contribution Employee Health Benefit Plans
The following is a guest post by Dale Petersen. Dale Petersen served as the director of benefits at Darden Restaurants Inc. from 1988 until 2000 where he directed benefit and HR programs for the $5...
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The Crisis in Employee Health Benefits 1999-2012
Traditional employer-sponsored health insurance has been hit by soaring costs in recent years, making it less affordable for employers and employees. From 1999 to 2012, the annual premium that U.S....
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The ObamaCare Solution - A Business Expense Account for Healthcare
For most businesses, the solution to ObamaCare is simple: Offer a “Business Expense Account” for Healthcare. A new vehicle, called an “HRA”, or health reimbursement arrangement, allows employers to...
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Medicare's Role and Future Challenges
Source: The Journal of the American Medical Association
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Employer Buzz Words for Healthcare Reform
Business owners around the country are actively researching the best way to continue growing their business while meeting the requirements of the Affordable Care Act (or "ObamaCare"). The Federal...
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What is a Third Party Administrator (TPA)?
A Third Party Administrator (TPA) is an organization that processes insurance claims or certain aspects of employee benefit plans for a separate entity. This can be viewed as "outsourcing" the...
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The Biggest Tax Exclusion - Employer Paid Health Insurance
One of the biggest tax exclusions in the U.S. is the exclusion that allows workers who get job-based (or "employer paid") health insurance coverage not to pay taxes on the value of those policies and...
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Essential Health Benefits - An Overview
The Affordable Care Act defines certain categories of benefits as "Essential Health Benefits." The categories of essential health benefits are:Ambulatory patient servicesEmergency...
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What is Actuarial Value (AV)?
Beginning in 2014, health care reform requires health insurance plans in the individual and small group markets to meet certain actuarial value (or "metal") levels. These “Metal levels” are intended to...
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Proposed Health Insurance Broker Compensation Rules for Exchanges
On December 7th, 2012, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a proposed rule that requires health insurance companies to pay brokers the same compensation for plans sold through a...
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New Frequently Asked Questions FAQ on Health Insurance Exchanges
Last month, the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) issued a new series of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that are intended to answer questions states may have about Affordable Care...
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State by State Guide to Health Insurance Exchange Decisions 2012
Starting in 2014, health insurance coverage for individuals and small businesses will become available through new state health insurance exchanges. Most importantly, the key tax credits (e.g. the...
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New Health Insurance Reform Related Taxes in 2013
Regardless of the fiscal cliff, Americans will be subject to the following tax changes in 2013 as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This article highlights some of the key changes for...
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Clarifying Health's Top 25 Employee Health Benefits Articles for 2012
As we welcome the new year, ClarifyingHealth.com takes a look at the top 25 employee health benefits articles of 2012. Discover what thousands of brokers, managers, and human resource professionals...
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