Healthcare Compliance Inc: 2016

Tuesday, 20 December 2016

An Alternative For People Who Hate Obamacare

The people whom you might expect to be supporters of Obamacare often excoriate the paltry and pricy insurance they receive.

There are mornings like Tuesday’s on which I believe that the voters who put Donald Trump over the top may be just a little unclear on the issues. Not their fault, of course. It’s a busy world. However, let us take, for example, healthcare policy and the future of the Affordable Care Act. Two separate news items are illuminating on the subject. The first, courtesy of The Wall Street Journal, illustrates perfectly a strict constructionist view of the Law of Unintended Consequences.

The Gallup data, analyzed with the county typology from the American Communities Project, show that eight county types have seen increases in health insurance coverage greater than the national average. Six of those types — representing about 77 million people or 33 million votes, a quarter of the total cast — sided with Mr. Trump, some by very large margins.

Advocates for ObamaCare often dismiss this concern, stating their belief that the subsidies will be generous enough to ensure that the risk pool remains stable.

Friday, 16 December 2016

Why Repealing the ACA Before Replacing It Won’t Work

Discussion of the Affordable Care Act often incites fear, confusion, and anger in people both for and against its passage.

With Republicans now in control of the Presidency, Senate, and House of Representatives, they have the opportunity to fulfill their repeated promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). They banded together to pass repeal alone early this year (albeit knowing it would get vetoed by the president), but no detailed consensus replacement plan has emerged.

There has been no shortage of ACA replacement plans put forward by think tanks and members of Congress, including Speaker Paul Ryan’s Better Way, HHS Secretary nominee Tom Price’s Empowering Patients First Act, and the Patient Choice, Affordability, Responsibility, and Empowerment Act (P-CARE) led by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, House Energy & Commerce Chairman Fred Upton, and Senator Richard Burr, but many are still in outline form or lack critical details and none has been voted on or scored by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

Despite the lack of consensus on what a replacement plan looks like, Republicans are signaling that they plan to use the budget reconciliation process (which only requires a simple majority in the Senate rather than the 60 votes needed to bypass a filibuster) to pass a law immediately that repeals the ACA’s Medicaid expansion, premium tax credits, cost-sharing assistance, and the taxes that helped pay for it (leaving in place the law’s insurance market and Medicare reforms) as of a date certain in the future (likely January 1, 2020). The delayed effective date is supposed to give lawmakers time to craft a replacement without disrupting coverage in the interim.

In every community across the country, the Affordable Care Act is working to increase access to affordable, quality health care.

Repeal and delay would cause chaos in the individual insurance market.

Read the full story at Brookings.edu….

2016 – Impact on ACA Compliance Issues

The post Why Repealing the ACA Before Replacing It Won’t Work appeared first on ACA Reporting Service | Obamacare Compliance | Health Care Compliance Inc..

source https://healthcare-compliance-inc.com/why-repealing-the-aca-before-replacing-it-wont-work/

Thursday, 15 December 2016

2016 – Impact on ACA Compliance Issues

OVERVIEW

After hard-fought campaigns by both candidates, Republican candidate Donald Trump has been elected the 45th president of the United States. Trump’s victory in the election, along with Republican majorities retained in both the Senate and House of Representatives, will likely have a significant impact on a number of compliance issues over the next four years.
During his campaign, Trump called for a repeal of President Barack Obama’s hallmark health care reform legislation, the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In addition, Trump’s victory raises uncertainty over the future of other policies enacted under President Obama, including the new overtime requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

President-elect Donald Trump will not take office until he is inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2017. This means that, despite the coming change in power, there will likely be no significant legislative or regulatory changes prior to 2017. As a result, employers should continue to prepare for upcoming requirements and deadlines to ensure full compliance.

Download the Full Report……

The post 2016 – Impact on ACA Compliance Issues appeared first on ACA Reporting Service | Obamacare Compliance | Health Care Compliance Inc..

source https://healthcare-compliance-inc.com/2016-impact-aca-compliance-issues/

Monday, 21 November 2016

Due Date for Furnishing ACA Statements Extended to March 2, 2017

On Nov. 18, 2016, the Internal Revenue Service issued Notice 2016-70, which provides certain extensions related to Affordable Care Act reporting for 2016. Specifically, this notice:

• Extends the due date for furnishing forms to individuals under Sections 6055 and 6056 from Jan. 31, 2017, to March 2, 2017
• Extends good-faith transition relief from penalties related to 2016 information reporting under Sections 6055 and 6056

The due dates for filing forms with the IRS for 2016 are not affected by this guidance. The due date for filing with the IRS under Sections 6055 and 6056 remains Feb. 28, 2017 (March 31, 2017, if filing electronically).

Despite the delay, employers and other coverage providers are encouraged to furnish 2016 statements to individuals as soon as they are able.

Broker Briefcase users see our document “2016 Furnishing Deadline for ACA Reporting Delayed.”

The post Due Date for Furnishing ACA Statements Extended to March 2, 2017 appeared first on ACA Reporting Service | Obamacare Compliance | Health Care Compliance Inc..

source https://healthcare-compliance-inc.com/due-date-furnishing-aca-statements-extended-march-2-2017/

Friday, 18 November 2016

Covered California and the future of Obamacare

Whether or not the Affordable Care Act can live up to its name is a bit of an open question.

The worst-case scenario is clear: On the campaign trail, Trump promised to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama’s signature health care law that has insured 20 million Americans who had lacked health coverage.

Trump back-pedaled a bit last week, saying he would keep two key provisions of the law: allowing children to remain on their parents’ health care plans until age 26, and preventing insurers from denying coverage to Americans with pre-existing conditions.

Discussion of the Affordable Care Act often incites fear, confusion, and anger in people both for and against its passage.

Wednesday, 9 November 2016

White House forges on with ObamaCare signup

The Affordable Care Act is working to make health care more affordable, accessible and of a higher quality, for families, seniors, businesses, and taxpayers alike.

The White House is urging people to sign up for coverage through ObamaCare, hours after the Republican electoral sweep that likely dooms the healthcare law’s future.

Spokesman Josh Earnest said Wednesday the Obama administration remains committed to its enrollment drive, which opened Nov. 1.

In every community across the country, the Affordable Care Act is working to increase access to affordable, quality health care.

Thursday, 20 October 2016

HHS Secretary: Upcoming Enrollment Efforts Are Pivotal for Affordable Care Act

Rate hikes are likely on the way for plans offered on online insurance exchanges, or marketplaces, created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PACA), according to a report from Kaiser Health News (KHN). Consumers’ out-of-pocket costs are expected to climb, and some major insurers have already pulled out.

In a statement to the press, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell acknowledged that the PPACA’s fourth enrollment season, scheduled to begin on November 1 and run until January 31, is a pivotal time for President Obama’s signature domestic policy achievement.

Thursday, 13 October 2016

FINAL FORMS FOR ACA REPORTING RELEASED

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released final 2016 forms for reporting under Internal Revenue Code (Code) Sections 6055 and 6056.

– Forms 1094-B and 1095-B are used by entities reporting under Section 6055, including self-insured plan sponsors that are not applicable large employers (ALEs). Final 2016 versions of these forms and final instructions were released on Sept. 26, 2016.

– Forms 1094-C and 1095-C are used by ALEs to report under Section 6056, as well as for combined Section 6055 and 6056 reporting by ALEs who sponsor self-insured plans. Final 2016 versions of these forms and final instructions were released on Sept. 30, 2016.

Minor changes were made to the forms, including the addition of two new “Offer of Coverage” codes for use on Form 1095-C. The instructions also included some clarifications.

Download the Full Report…

The post FINAL FORMS FOR ACA REPORTING RELEASED appeared first on ACA Reporting Service | Obamacare Compliance | Health Care Compliance Inc..

source https://healthcare-compliance-inc.com/final-forms-aca-reporting-released/

Tuesday, 27 September 2016

Kaya Bromley–New Addition to HCI Broker Workshop 9-28-16

Special Guest: Kaya Bromley
ACA Attorney, ACA Author, ACA Speaker, ACA Strategist
Always Ahead of the Curve, KAYA has helped hundreds of BUSINESS OWNERS cope with the ever-changing Health Care Landscape. KAYA does MORE THAN site Obamacare FACTS, she OFFERS Obamacare STRATEGIES!

With such high demand we have added a GoToMeeting option!

If you cannot get to Napa, please attend via GoToMeeting! Give us a call at 707-255-9900 and we will send you the login info!

EXCLUSIVE Workshop for BROKERS and General Agents

With a FOCUS on Client RETENTION

SAVE THE DATE! 9-28-16

Here’s what you will learn:
1. 2016 ACA Information Brokers & GA’s Must Know To Renew “ALE GROUPS”
2. The 5 Biggest ACA Client Communication Mistakes Made By Brokers
3. The 5 Biggest ACA Mistakes Employers Make on IRS & DOL Compliance
4. New ACA-Compliant Medical Plan – Alternative to 4980H(a) Penalties!

Date: Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Location: 1141 Division St, Napa, CA 94559
AM Session: 8:30am Refreshments * 9:00am to Noon
PM Session: 2:30pm Refreshments * 3:00pm to 6:00pm

Hosted By Affordable Care Act Experts:

Janet Mlynar, President, Healthcare Compliance, Inc.

Christina Marzec, President, Your Obamacare Advisors

Limited Seating ** RSVP now

To learn more about the Affordable Care Act and Healthcare Compliance Inc., Visit Us at:
www.Healthcare-Compliance-Inc.com Or call 800-325-1333

The post Kaya Bromley–New Addition to HCI Broker Workshop 9-28-16 appeared first on ACA Reporting Service | Obamacare Compliance | Health Care Compliance Inc..

source https://healthcare-compliance-inc.com/kaya-bromley-new-addition-hci-broker-workshop-9-28-16/

Monday, 19 September 2016

ObamaCare Individual Mandate Fine Hit 8 Million People in 2016

Roughly 8 million people faced ObamaCare individual mandate penalties this year totaling more than $3 billion, an analysis of the latest IRS data reveals.

Despite the controversy and high-stakes legal battle that has surrounded the individual mandate, the scope of the penalties paid this year has gone unreported by major news outlets as attention has focused on ObamaCare’s latest and most glaring problems: weak enrollment, surging premiums, and insurer losses that have provoked the exit of UnitedHealth (UNH), Aetna (AET) and Humana (HUM) from most state exchanges.

The post ObamaCare Individual Mandate Fine Hit 8 Million People in 2016 appeared first on ACA Reporting Service | Obamacare Compliance | Health Care Compliance Inc..

source https://healthcare-compliance-inc.com/obamacare-individual-mandate-fine-hit-8-million-people-2016/

Thursday, 15 September 2016

ACA’S Affordability Contribution Percentage Increased For 2017

In April 2016, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Revenue Procedure 2016-24 to index the contribution percentages in 2017 for purposes of determining the affordability of an employer’s plan under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

For plan years beginning in 2017, employer-sponsored coverage will be considered affordable if the employee’s required contribution for self-only coverage does not exceed:

• 9.69 percent of the employee’s household income for the year, for purposes of both the pay or play rules and premium tax credit eligibility; and
• 8.16 percent of the employee’s household income for the year, for purposes of an exemption from the individual mandate.

These updated affordability percentages are effective for taxable years and plan years beginning after Dec. 31, 2016.

Download the full report…

The post ACA’S Affordability Contribution Percentage Increased For 2017 appeared first on ACA Reporting Service | Obamacare Compliance | Health Care Compliance Inc..

source https://healthcare-compliance-inc.com/acas-affordability-contribution-percentage-increased-2017-2/