In guidance issued last week (pdf), the federal agencies charged with administering the Affordable Care Act of 2010 provided a fuller picture of what will be required of self-insured plans to satisfy the new external review rules. The law, as amended, requires certain non-grandfathered health plans and health insurance issuers to provide new internal claims… Continue Reading
Monthly Archives: August 2010
Massachusetts DOMA Ruling On Hold
Last month’s landmark ruling in Gill v. Office of Personnel Management that declared Section 3 of the Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional has been temporarily stayed pending an appeal, and the judgment has been modified to clarify that it applies only to the named plaintiffs. The U.S. Department of Justice has 60 days… Continue Reading
CBO Projects Health Care Law Will Result in Slight Decline in Labor Participation, Budget Deficit
A new report released by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (“Affordable Care Act”) will result in a modest decline in labor market participation over the next 10 years. The report – The Budget and… Continue Reading
Most Large Employers Will Make Changes to Their Health Care Plans, Study Finds
A survey report (pdf) of 72 large employers finds that most anticipate an increase in health care costs in 2011 as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Affordable Care Act”), and are making changes to their plan designs in order to comply with the new health care law and its regulations…. Continue Reading
Obama Signs Bill Providing State Aid for Medicaid
On Tuesday, President Obama signed into law the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act, (H.R. 1586), (pdf) a bill that will provide $16.1 billion in assistance to states to fund Medicaid payments through the first half of 2011. An additional $10 billion will be allocated to state and local governments to cover teacher salaries. In… Continue Reading
HHS Permits Insurers to Establish Open Enrollment Periods for Child Coverage
Responding to concerns that the new health care law’s prohibition on denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions would significantly drive up costs, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has clarified that plans may set up specific enrollment periods. Insurers had predicted that the non-discrimination coverage requirement that takes effect for most… Continue Reading
Court Allows Virginia Suit Challenging Health Care Law to Proceed
On Monday a federal court denied the Obama Administration’s motion to dismiss a Virginia lawsuit challenging the Constitutionality of the new health care law, thus permitting the case to go forward. The suit, filed by Republican Attorney Gen. Ken Cuccinelli II, alleges that the government has overstepped its bounds by mandating that individuals purchase health… Continue Reading
Bills Would Repeal, Deny Funding to Portions of Affordable Care Act
While provisions of the massive health care reform law and its implementing regulations start to take effect, several lawmakers are introducing legislation to thwart or repeal some or all of this measure. Last week, before the House of Representatives began its six-week recess, a handful of bills were introduced that would either deny funds to… Continue Reading