Last year, 70% of the self-funding proposal requests to MedBen originated from fully-insured employers… a number we expect to rise in 2014. The Affordable Care Act has caused a dramatic shift in the cost and the demands of heath care coverage –… more »

Even though the employer mandate has been delayed and faces opposition from a Republican-led House of Representatives, the Obama administration is pressing forward in its efforts to make “play or pay” a reality. Toward that end, the IRS has… more »

FRED’s Café is officially open for business! On July 23, MedBen Benefit Configuration Specialist SueMarie Beaumont unveiled the sign that “bears” the name of the benefit management company’s new in-house convenience store.… more »

Two separate – and opposing – federal appellate court rulings issued yesterday regarding subsidies available to individuals enrolled in health insurance exchanges could have long-term implications for another major provision of the… more »

July 31st is not only the anniversary of the creation of the federal Department of Health, Education and Welfare, it is also the date that the Department’s successor – Health and Human Services – set as the PCORI Fee filing date under the Affordable… more »

On July 17, 2014, the Tri-Agencies (United States Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and the Treasury) released a Frequently Asked Question notice pertaining to the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Burwell vs. Hobby Lobby. As you recall,… more »

A company that offers a worksite wellness program expects more for its efforts than the warm feeling that comes from doing its part to help plan members stay healthy. Understandably, it wants to see a tangible (read: monetary) return on its investment.… more »

The extensive media coverage of the recent Supreme Court ruling on contraceptive coverage – not to mention, the resultant political outcry – has somewhat overshadowed the reality that the decision affects only a small percentage of… more »

A new report suggests that women who get their annual wellness examinations from their family doctors receive a broader range of services, compared to those who get preventive tests from their obstetrician/gynecologists (OB/GYNs). “I think [primary… more »

The Supreme Court made its ruling about employers and birth control coverage last week, but that hardly means the matter has been put to rest. The New York Times reports that two Senate Democrats have introduced legislation to override the Supreme… more »

Under health care reform, large health plans are now required to obtain a Health Plan Identifier (“HPID”) number no later than November 5, 2014. Just as with previous HIPAA plan size determinations, large health plans are those with more than $5 million… more »