Recent Articles
ObamaCare Mandate: Exemption and Tax Penalty
The ObamaCare Mandate and How You Can Qualify for an Exemption from the Tax “Penalty” ObamaCare Mandate: Those who choose not to purchase insurance will have to pay a tax “penalty” unless they qualify for an exemption. Exemptions from ObamaCare’s tax “penalty” mandate...
IRS Providing Limited Transitional Relief for Small Employers Currently Reimbursing Employees for Individual Health Insurance Premiums
The IRS on Wednesday released Notice 2015-17 addressing additional questions on employer payment plans and providing limited transitional relief for small employers who are currently reimbursing employees for individual health insurance premiums. The IRS offered...
Illinois approves BCBSIL’s request to increase “Grandfathered” and “Grandmothered” policy premiums
. Grandfathered Plans - individual plans written before 3/23/2010 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois filed a 14.8% rate increase for all plans written before 3/23/2010 (aka "Grandfathered" Plans) that will go into effect as each individual's policy comes up for...
Clarification on Health Insurance Special Enrollment Periods
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) is providing additional clarification around the qualifying event of gaining/losing a dependent through birth/adoption/fostercare/placement for adoption, which triggers a Special Enrollment opportunity. The Special...
High Court narrows PPACA contraceptive mandate
June 30 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Supreme Court dealt a blow to President Barack Obama’s health-care law, ruling that closely held companies can refuse on religious grounds to offer birth- control coverage to their workers. Voting 5-4, the justices today said family-run...
CMS and HHS announced an extension for COBRA beneficiaries to enroll into Federal and State Exchanges up until July 1st.
Date: May 2, 2014 Subject: Special Enrollment Periods and Hardship Exemptions for Persons Meeting Certain Criteria This guidance provides information related to three types of special enrollment periods (SEPs) for persons seeking to enroll in qualified health plans...
IRS Releases 2015 HSA Limits
The maximum contributions that can be made to health savings accounts in 2015 will rise slightly. The following data for 2015 was recently released by the IRS for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs): The maximum contribution that can be made to an HSA in 2015 is $3,350 for...
BCBSIL Allows Changes to Policies Purchased On and Off Exchange
BlueCross and BlueShield of Illinois members who purchased Qualified Health Plans through Get Covered Illinois or directly through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) now have the ability to change policies through March 31, 2014 (the end of Open...
Obama to Allow Two-Year Renewal of Old Health Plans
March 5 (Bloomberg) -- Americans who kept their health plans that didn’t comply with Obamacare requirements will be able to renew those policies for two more years, according to a person familiar with the matter. The Obama administration, which has been deliberating...
BCBSIL launches new payment channel for members to make a one-time “check by phone” or online EFT payment
On Monday, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) launched a new payment channel for members to make a one-time “check by phone” or online electronic funds transfer (EFT) payment. We have contracted with Alactriti, a third party vendor, to use their automated...