Will Medicare Part B Premium be $247 in 2014?

Will Medicare Part B Premium be $247 in 2014?

There are emails being widely circulated stating that the Medicare Part B premium for 2014 will be $247.00.   This is not true.

The Medicare Part B monthly premium rates for 2014 will be released in late October or November, when the annual open enrollment begins. Experts believe that beneficiaries will not see an increase of their Medicare Part B premium in 2014.The reason why it is estimated that the rates will stay at the current level is the slower growth of Medicare costs in the past years. If the premium should increase, it will most likely be a moderate rise, similar to the $5 increase in 2013.

EMPLOYERS MUST ISSUE NOTICES TO WORKERS BY OCTOBER 1

EMPLOYERS MUST ISSUE NOTICES TO WORKERS BY OCTOBER 1

 

Notices about the health insurance exchanges (Marketplaces) have to be given to current workers no later than Oct. 1, 2013. Starting Oct. 1, the notices have to be given to new workers on the day they are hired. 　

The notices must:

1. tell workers about exchanges (Marketplaces), including a description of the services provided and how they can contact exchanges (Marketplaces);

2. let workers know they may be eligible for a premium tax credit if the employer plan’s does not cover at least 60% of the total allowed cost of benefits, and the worker buys a qualified health plan through an exchange (Marketplace);
3. explain that if the worker buys a qualified health plan through an exchange (Marketplace), he or she may lose the employer contribution (if any) to any health benefit plan the employer offers, and that all or part of the contribution may be excluded from income for federal tax purposes.

Delay in Implementation Will Affect Very Few

Media coverage of a delay in implementation of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) limit on out-of-pocket insurance costs for consumers was extensive last week. As of 2014, the ACA sets an annual cap on out-of-pocket costs for an individual at $6,350 and $12,700 for a family. But the U.S. Department of Labor outlined in February a one-year limited transition period for implementation of the requirement. Coming in a summer of renewed political battles over the ACA and a widely covered delay in implementation of the ACA’s employer mandate, the delay was widely covered just last week as a new development adversely affecting many consumers. However, the decision to delay is six months old and it has limited applicability. The one-year transition period does not change the out-of-pocket limits for major medical plans subject to the regulatory requirements in 2014. The transition only applies to customers who have medical benefits administered with one carrier and pharmacy benefits administered with a different company.

CONGRESS TO GET OBAMACARE EXEMPTION

LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- The White House has approved a deal that will exempt members of Congress and their staff from some of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, Politico reported late Thursday. Under the law, popularly referred to as Obamacare, lawmakers and their aides were required to source health insurance "created" by the law or offered through one of its exchanges, and without the subsidies they currently enjoy, the members of Congress would have faced thousands of dollars in additional premium payments each year, the report said. However, the Office of Personnel Management now plans to rule that the government can continue to make a contribution to the health-care premiums of the lawmakers and their staff, it said, citing unnamed congressional sources and a White House official.

Insurance Commissioner Approves Obamacare Premium Rates

ATLANTA – Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens announced Thursday that he approved the premiums submitted by five health insurers for inclusion in the state’s federally run insurance exchange, even though he said they were too high.

He had sought an emergency extension on Wednesday’s deadline from U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, but she refused to grant it.

“Yesterday, after not receiving a response to my request for a 30-day delay from the secretary of Health and Human Services, I was left with no viable option but to accept the filings for the federally facilitated Georgia exchange. Although not surprised, I am disappointed in the unresponsiveness of the Obama administration,” said Hudgens, a Republican who was elected on a platform opposing the federal health reform law known as Obamacare.

The premiums and plans must be approved by both the state and federal regulators. Sebelius has until September to give her approval.

At the 11th hour, Aetna announced that it and its newly acquired subsidiary, Coventry Health Care, would not participate in Georgia’s exchange.

“This is not a step that we take lightly,” said Aetna spokesman Walter Cherniak. “We believe it is critical that our plans not only be competitive, but also financially viable, allowing Aetna and Coventry to meet the long-term needs of the exchanges in which we choose to participate.”

Both companies will continue to sell individual health insurance outside of the exchanges and through their agents. However, people with income low enough to qualify for taxpayer premium subsidies can only get them if they purchase through an exchange.

The withdrawal means residents in some parts of the state will have limited options in the exchange.

By Carrie Teegardin and Misty Williams

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens has filed an “emergency request” with the Obama administration to delay approval of rates for individual health plans that he said will cost some consumers more than double what they are paying today.
“In complete contradiction to every promise made by the President with regard to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, insurance companies in Georgia have filed rate plans increasing health insurance rates up to 198 percent for some individuals,” Hudgens said in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. He sent the letter Monday and released it publicly on Tuesday.
The state must approve or deny dozens of health plans to be sold on a new federally run insurance website, called an exchange, that is critical to the Affordable Care Act’s goal of insuring millions of Americans. The deadline to approve plans is Wednesday, but Hudgens is asking for a 30-day extension.
“I want to protect the consumers of the state of Georgia but when these things are going up, these prices are going up, I don’t want people to blame me,” Hudgens told the AJC. “I’m going to be up for re-election come 2014.”
Bill Custer, a Georgia State University health care expert who has reviewed the filings, said a 198 percent increase is nowhere near typical.
“The majority of Georgians with individual coverage will not see rate increases anywhere near that amount and many will see rate decreases,” Custer said.
The U.S. Health and Human Services Department is reviewing Georgia’s request, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.
“We are working closely with states to help them meet all deadlines and ensure that the marketplaces are ready for consumers to begin shopping on Oct. 1.,” she said in a statement.
Outside actuaries have reviewed the plans and rates filed in Georgia by the seven companies seeking to sell insurance on the exchange and found six of them to be appropriately priced. Hudgens would not identify the seventh company. Even so, Hudgens said that before he approves the rates he wants Sebelius to assess whether the prices are appropriate.
“I am really waiting for her to come back and tell me whether she thinks they are excessive,” said Hudgens, in an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Employer Mandate Delayed

Employer Mandate Delayed to 2015

The federal government announced on July 2, 2013 that it will delay implementation of the employer mandate penalties and reporting requirements until 2015. It also says it will simplify the reporting requirements.

This means:

• Large employers (50 or more employees) will not pay any penalties in 2014 if they do not offer affordable coverage that meets minimum value as defined under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
• Large employers and insurers are not required to report coverage affordability and access details to the IRS in 2014, as previously expected under IRC 6055 and 6056. This reporting will be voluntary until 2015.

Of course, large employers who are already planning to offer coverage that is affordable and meets minimum value in 2014 may continue with their plans, without an obligation for federal reporting requirements.

Employers that had not yet finalized their plans for 2014 now have a choice. They may offer coverage that does not meet the minimum value and affordability requirements of the law, with no penalty. The government’s announcement does not change or delay other plan and benefit requirements that go into effect for 2014.

For small employers, nothing has changed since this requirement did not apply. Businesses with fewer than 50 full-time equivalent employees will still have access to the Small Business Health Options Program.

What is community rating and how will it affect rates?

July 17, 2013
Health care reform requires health insurance companies to offer coverage to all people and businesses. This is called guaranteed issue.
Along with guaranteed issue, health care reform requires health insurance companies to move to modified community rating for individuals and small businesses. This is the practice of charging premiums that aren’t based on the health history of the individual or business applying for coverage. Insurance companies must base rates on the cost of care for a group of people (a risk pool). By pooling a group of people together, healthy people help balance health care costs for people who aren’t healthy. The risk and cost is shared among everyone in the pool.
New laws for community rating
Health care reform has introduced new rules for community rating, which is why it’s called modified community rating. Insurance companies can’t base rates on any person’s health history. Instead, rates can be based on age, tobacco use*, family size and location. The law limits how much coverage can cost. The highest rate can’t be more than three times the lowest rate for a plan.

How it works
All Individual customers in a state will be in one risk pool and all Small Group customers will be in another risk pool. In addition:

• States will be able to keep individual and small business risk pools separate.
• Rates will be based on the health risk of the entire pool. Then those rates can vary based on age, tobacco use*, family size and location.

These laws prevent insurance companies from creating separate risk pools that charge higher or lower rates.
The impact to plans
Most of our health plans will change in 2014 to comply with health care reform. That may cause the rates of some of our plans to go up. We’ll work with you and your clients to find a health plan that meets their needs. We will offer 100% preventive coverage, results-driven health and wellness programs to small businesses, and integrated cost and quality tools to help members understand their costs.
Find out more about health care reform
To learn about other health care reform topics, checkout the timeline and FAQs on our health care reform website or visit our new health care reform area on our company website.
*Tobacco use may not affect the rates in some states.

This article applies to:

• California, Wisconsin, Virginia, Ohio, Nevada, New Hampshire, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana, Georgia, and Connecticut
• Small Group and Individual (under 65)