California's Health Exchange: What It Means for CA Small Businessess

Posted on Tue, Apr 30, 2013

The California Chamber of Commerce today released its latest edition of CalChamber News featuring information about Covered California, the state’s health exchange.  Covered California is the first-in-the nation online health insurance marketplace established under the Affordable Care Act.  It will help individuals and small businesses compare health plans, get answers to questions, find out if they qualify for federal tax credits and enroll in a plan that meets their specific needs.

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Tags: HR Allen Consulting Services, HR Informant, federal health care reform, small businesses, California employers, Affordable Care Act, California health exchange, Covered California

Health Care Reform 2012 Checklist

Posted on Mon, Mar 26, 2012

As we all know, there was a big push under federal health care reform for plan sponsors to amend health plans for the 2011 plan year. 

Though 2012 will not be a year of quite so many changes, there is still work to do to ensure you are in compliance with health care reform measures for the year under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

You will need to add these "to dos" to your 2012 PPACA checklist:

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Tags: PPACA, patient protection and affordable care act, plan year 2012, Employers, federal health care reform, health care reform

Health Care Reform Reminder: New Regulations Finalized

Posted on Tue, Mar 20, 2012

Final regulations on summary of benefits and coverage (SBC) are available. Insurers, employers and administrators — pay close attention to these rules because they will apply to open enrollment that begins on or after September 23, 2012.

On August 22, 2011, the departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury (the agencies) issued proposed regulations on the requirements for drafting and issuing SBCs and the uniform glossary that is required to be provided by plans as well.  

A summary of those proposed regulations are available here

On February 9, 2012, the agencies released final regulations on the requirements for drafting and issuing SBCs and the uniform glossary that is required to be provided by plans as well. The new rules take effect on April 16, 2012.   

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Tags: final regulations, regulations on SBC, SBC final regulations, summary of benefits and coverage, federal health care reform, health care reform

New Health Care Reform Website for Employers

Posted on Tue, Feb 14, 2012

A group of California business organizations launched a new website to help California businesses understand their obligations under the dense and complex Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Health Law Guide for Business is designed to provide accurate and easy to understand information on federal health care reform. The website’s motto is “2,409 pages. One simple web site.”

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Tags: California Chamber of Commerce, federal law in California, Employers, federal health care reform, small businesses, health care reform