January 2013
Insights from Our Integrated ERM and Claims Settlement Solutions Practices
Medicare IVIG Access Act; Previously the SMART Act
In long-awaited Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) legislation, both the Senate and the House have passed H.R. 1845, the Medicare IVIG Access Act (previously the Strengthening Medicare and Repaying Taxpayers (SMART) Act) on December 21, 2012 amending the statute and reforming the process for Medicare beneficiaries. The legislation was presented to President Obama on December 31, 2012 and was signed on January 10, 2013.
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Health Insurance Exchanges - The EBRI Study
With the recent Presidential Election and last year's U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (generally referred to as the ACA), employers and organizations are focusing their attention on implementing and improving their programs. The Employee Benefit Research Institute explores possible structures of insurance exchanges, funding, and uncertainties to employers of adopting them. A summary of recent surveys on employer attitudes are examined, as are some changes that employers have made to other benefits that might serve as historical precedents for a move to some type of defined contribution health benefits approach.
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Key Features and Effects of the Affordable Care Act
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has provided an informative website for persons seeking and providing health insurance. The most important parts of the law are described in the new website. The Department of Health and Human Services will be updating the site periodically to highlight new features of the law as they roll out between now and 2014.