insurance

My new article is up...

My new article is up...

At Answers.com: " Single Pay Long Term Care insurance plans remove the risk of future rate increases, while providing comprehensive lon...

11:00 AM

Covered CA and Accountability

Covered CA and Accountability

Got a laugh out of this today: Dana Howard of Covered California admitted it was responsible but said, “It really isn’t feasible for Covered...

7:55 AM

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgECE6Ss8Gr42BXHcSYalma45UKpOBHoKfYQFqQ6Q9tW9UXX1o0J11_VXnxiUcdDt-kEX1Vp56-dtHCLd98OM2WMM57g3zRlRwpur-6cmHh2hMrdeRGazYqm0PIctgadipF9OwAvb2epDlw/s1600/dentist+visits+autism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgECE6Ss8Gr42BXHcSYalma45UKpOBHoKfYQFqQ6Q9tW9UXX1o0J11_VXnxiUcdDt-kEX1Vp56-dtHCLd98OM2WMM57g3zRlRwpur-6cmHh2hMrdeRGazYqm0PIctgadipF9OwAvb2epDlw/s1600/dentist+visits+autism.jpg" width="140" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Late last summer, we discussed one of the ObamaTax's "Essential Health Benefits," Pediatric Dental. At the time, we noted that, if nothing else, it represented a <a href="http://insureblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/open-wide-and-sayyikes.html" target="_blank">major windfall for orthodontists</a>. Fast forward 6 months or so, and we have this rather uninformed update on how Pediatric Dental coverage is being implemented here in Ohio. As <a href="http://themoderatevoice.com/author/holly" target="_blank">FoIB Holly R</a> tips us: "...<a href="http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20140205/NEWS/302050142" target="_blank">like other pieces of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, it’s not so simple. That’s because the federal government ruled that dental coverage for kids can be left out of medical plans sold in most states, including Ohio and Indiana</a>." The author of the piece seems to imply that carriers will use this "loophole" - which is, in fact, specifically encouraged by the ObamaTax itself - to avoid including Pediatric Dental coverage. Not so fast there, Lisa B-K. Turns out, quite a few carriers continue to offer PediaDent cover: Anthem requires PD whether or not there are any children actually on the plan, and include a $5.20 charge for this cover regardless. Which seems seems as fair as charging single men and post-menopausal women for <strike>birth control</strike> convenience items. Medical Mutual of Ohio says that those with adult only (no children) coverage can waive PD cover, buit those with children are required to enroll. They may, however, unenroll from this cover if they have valid comparable other dental insurance coverage. Humana's PD coverage, like Anthem's, is "baked into the cake;" that is, it's included whether or not you want it (or need it). Same with United Healthcare/Golden Rule. There is no "opt out" provision, so one is charged for a benefit that one cannot ever use. How nice. [Thanks to <a href="http://www.crnstone.com/" target="_blank">Kelly V</a> for her clear and concise explanation]</div>

Open Wide ... Take 2

Late last summer, we discussed one of the ObamaTax's "Essential Health Benefits," Pediatric Dental. At the time, we noted that...

6:00 AM

Harbinger of things to come?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hammertap.com/my_files/images/crystalball_468x317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="95" src="http://www.hammertap.com/my_files/images/crystalball_468x317.jpg" width="140" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">FoIB Jeff M tips us to this interesting story out of North Carolina: "<a href="http://www.montgomeryherald.com/news/article_97881b70-8deb-11e3-9e89-001a4bcf887a.html" target="_blank">Montgomery County employees are facing a change in regard to medical insurance coverage ... their recommendation to discontinue providing medical insurance to employees and to assist employees in pursuing insurance though the Marketplace</a>" As we've <a href="http://insureblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/under-obamatax-hood.html" target="_blank">repeatedly mentioned</a> here at IB, this is, in fact, the wave of the future: employers dumping their group plans and shunting their employees off to the Exchanges. So much for "if you like your current plan, you can keep your current plan." We've already seen this playing out in the individual market, and group is on deck. But it's the last line of the Herald story that piqued my interest: "This assistance will include navigational, choice information and financial assistance" [emphasis added] Here's the problem: under the train-wreck, groups can no longer use Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA's) to subsidize premiums. Jeff asked whether or not the employer could provide a "stipend" to each employee to help with the cost of insurance and, if so, what effect that would have on said employees' taxes. I suspected that I knew the answer, but sought confirmation from my HRA gurus at <a href="http://www.flexbank.net/" target="_blank">FlexBank</a>, who did not disappoint. Years ago, we used to fund some key employees' life insurance plans through something called an Executive Bonus. This was simply a fancy way to give the employee the money to pay for a personal life insurance plan, and it was (of course) included on their W-2's. This seems to be the only legitimate arrangement open to the folks running Montgomery County; one suspects that the employees being unceremoniously dumped from their current health plans will be none too pleased to see the extra tax liability. Talk about adding insult to injury (neither of which, apparently, are covered under the ObamaTax).</div>

Harbinger of things to come?

FoIB Jeff M tips us to this interesting story out of North Carolina: " Montgomery County employees are facing a change in regard to med...