Open Enrollment Best Practices

As we approach the labor day holiday, human resources officials, brokers, consultants, and others begin to think not as much about the end of summer, but rather, the approaching OPEN ENROLLMENT SEASON!  Before we know it, that special time of the year will be upon us.  Having been involved with so many open enrollments over the years, as an insurance company executive, third party administrator, wholesaler, consultant, and retailer/broker, I have accumulated some insight as to what employees/enrollees should be considering during this important time of the year.  Call these my "open enrollment best practices", or, put another way, the things enrollees/employees should consider as they enter open enrollment season...

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ACA Employer Reporting...Continued

A previous post informed about an upcoming (voluntary in 2015; mandatory in 2016) Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliance requirement requiring employers (small and large) and health insurers to report on health insurance coverage offered to employees. 
(See - http://sstevenshealthcare.blogspot.com/2014/03/aca-employer-reporting-requirements.html )

Recently the IRS released draft versions of various forms that employers will need to disclose detailed information to both their employees and the IRS.  The purpose of the reporting is to assist the federal government in enforcing the ACA's individual mandate, employer mandate, and premium subsidy provisions.

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ACA Changes, Repeals, Modifications, Clarifications...Thus Far

Readers and health care stakeholders may find it interesting (if not frustrating), that as of the date of this blog post (August 6, 2014) there have been a grand total of 42 changes* made to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) since its signing into law on March 23, 2010.  Furthermore, the changes have not originated from a single source; nor have the changes been influenced/encouraged by a single political party.  The fact is, of the 42 changes to date, 24 have been made unilaterally by the President; 16 resulting from acts of Congress; and perhaps the most notable - 2 - by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS).

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