HHS Conditionally Approves Four More Partnership Exchanges

On 3/7/2013, HHS'announced that it was offering conditional approval to four more partnership exchanges under the Affordable Care Act.

Michigan, New Hampshire, West Virginia and Iowa are the final four states to receive conditional federal approval to run state partnership health insurance exchanges.

The announcement means 24 states and the District of Columbia have submitted plans to operate or partially operate health exchanges.

Small Business Health Care Tax Credit Reduction

Effect of Sequestration on Small Business Health Care Tax Credit
Pursuant to the requirements of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended, certain automatic cuts took place as of March 1, 2013. These required cuts include a reduction to the refundable portion of the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit for certain small tax-exempt employers under Internal Revenue Code section 45R. As a result, the refundable portion of your claim will be reduced by 8.7 percent. The sequestration reduction rate will be applied until the end of the fiscal year (Sept. 30, 2013) or intervening Congressional action, at which time the sequestration rate is subject to change.

IRS Press Release 3/6/2012

Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan Enrollment Suspension

Beginning February 16, 2013, the federally-run Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) is suspending acceptance of new enrollment applications until further notice. State-based PCIPs may continue accepting enrollment applications through March 2, and will then suspend acceptance of new enrollment applications until further notice. PCIP will continue providing coverage to more than 100,000 people currently enrolled nationwide.

This suspension will help ensure that funds are available through 2013 to continuously cover people currently enrolled in PCIP.

Federal Government To Run Insurance Marketplaces In Half The States

Article:  Federal Government To Run Insurance Marketplaces In Half The States - Kaiser Health News

HHS Releases Final Regulations on Essential Health Benefits Standards

On February 20, 2013, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a final rule that helps consumers shop for and compare health insurance options in the individual and small group markets by promoting consistency across plans, protecting consumers by ensuring that plans cover a core package of items that are equal in scope to benefits offered by a typical employer plan, and limiting their out of pocket expenses.

The Final Rules include details on:

• Essential Health Benefits (EHB) benchmark and default plans
• Determining Actuarial Value (AV) and Employer Mandate Minimum Value (MV)
• Preventive care
• Cost sharing requirements

Proposed Rule Eases Contraceptive Mandate for Non-Profit Religious Organizations

On February 1, 2013, the Departments of Health and Human Services announced a proposed rule that, according to an agency press release, lays out "how nonprofit religious organizations, such as nonprofit religious hospitals or institutions of higher education, that object to contraception on religious grounds can receive an accommodation that provides their enrollees separate contraceptive coverage, and with no co-pays, but at no cost to the religious organization."

Here's the HHS fact sheet and proposed rule.

W-2 reporting communication for employees

As part of the Affordable Care Act (or health care reform law), W-2 forms must show the cost of employer-sponsored health coverage. Anthem has provided this suggested communication below that would come from the employer to notify employees of this new entry on their W-2s :