Knock Out Blow? – Trump Ends Cost-Sharing Reduction Subsidies
The White House confirmed Thursday that it will stop making federal payments for cost-sharing reductions, payments to health insurers. The Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that the cutoff would be immediate. This action could throw the Marketplace into immediate turmoil as insurers start to evaluate their options for 2018. Many, certainly democrats, have […]
Trump’s Executive Order – What it is & What happens next
President Trump signed an executive order in an attempt to improve access, increase choices and lower costs for healthcare. What Is in the EO? The EO directs the secretary of Labor to consider proposing regulations or revising guidance to expand Association Health Plans. The intent of this directive is to allow employers in the same […]
What is Reference Based Pricing?
With RBP plans are designed to negotiate treatments with high-quality providers at reduced costs and can work in different ways, depending on the insurance carrier or TPA. – Sound like a PPO or HMO? Not quite. RBP can have no network restriction, a network and use a network within a network. Call it Creative Networking […]
Rx Refills made easy!
Don’t like lengthy waits to refill your prescriptions? Prefer to have refills delivered to your door? Prefer someone else troubleshoot insurance & renew refills for you? Let me introduce you to Phil. Phil is a service that manages your ongoing prescriptions. Phil partners with top-rated, locally-owned pharmacies that are licensed by the Pharmacy Board. These […]
Social Security – Where’s the AARP?
Do you know when you retire you may be paying taxes on your Social Security income? And yes, you already paid taxes on that income. It’s double taxation. (Our friends in Boston that had a bit of a tea party would love this one.) Not everyone pays though. Only high income earners. – When you […]
Men are the problem!
Men don’t go to the doctor unless their arm or leg is falling off or they are dying. Consequently they are a major reason for the large preventable claims your company is incurring. So men, get a reality check, and become a smart patient. Human Resource Directors, read the following then think about this recommendation. […]
IRS Guidelines – Indexed for 2017
FICA Social Security Tax is 6.2% on income up to $127,200 up from $ 118,500. Medicare Tax unlimited 1.45% to Unlimited High Deductible Health Plans Minimum Annual Deductible (Individual/Family) $1,300 / $2,600 Maximum Out-of-Pocket Limit (Individual/Family) $6,550 / $13,100 Health Savings Accounts Individual / Family $3,400 / $6,750 Catch-up Contribution $1,000 Flexible Spending Accounts Health […]
Health Insurance As It Should Be (Part 2 of 2): Preventative, Wellness & Biometrics, Genetics & DNA
Under the ACA preventative care was free. At least there was no charge to the insured at the time they received the exam, the cost was built into the premiums. The argument was that an advanced diagnosis would save long term medical costs because illnesses would be caught at an early stage. If we use […]
Health Insurance As It Should Be (Part 1 of 2): Taxes and Regulations
Much speculations evolves around what changes the Trump administration will bring to health care. Although I don’t know why. The basics have been laid out by the Republicans for months. There is some fine tuning that needs to be done, but the core is in place. In addition to the principles that have been laid […]
Big Increase for 2017 Payroll Taxes while Social Security Benefits, Not So Much
The maximum earnings subject to the Social Security* payroll tax will increase by $8,700 in 2017 to $127,200 —up from $118,500. The Jan 1 adjustment is based on the government’s estimate of real wage growth. The 2017 increase in the taxable-earnings cap is the largest one-year increase since 1983. Monthly Social Security benefits will increase a […]