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Healthcare at the Start of the Election Year

Polls continue to show healthcare as one of the most important election issues. A recent study indicated that 137.1 million, or more than one-third of all Americans, are facing financial hardship due to medical costs. In 2018, 27.5 million Americans (8.5%) were uninsured and this excludes those who illegally entered this country. Viewpoints from Craig Hasday As my colleague pointed out in his recent blog post, despite the massive cost and market upheaval of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), our country is not making much progress in reducing the uninsured, but the underinsured issue compounds this …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/healthcare-at-the-start-of-the-election-year/

Marketplace Numbers Continue to Fall

Another year of Health Insurance Marketplace enrollment has passed and once again, there has been a decline in the exchange enrollment. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released preliminary data on the number of individuals who have enrolled in the federal exchange and the number is down from 8.5 million enrollees last year to 8.3 million this year. This comes despite the fact the actual cost of insurance has stabilized with average premiums falling by about 4% according to the government; and the fact that the 12 state-based exchanges (SBEs) have remained flat relative to …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/marketplace-numbers-continue-to-fall/

Frenkel & Company Completes Transition to EPIC Brand

… the exception of Frenkel International which will operate as a specialty division of EPIC. Since joining with EPIC in 2017, Frenkel’s associates and practice areas have become integrated into the EPIC business and significantly expanded EPIC’s Northeast footprint in risk management, property and casualty insurance, international client services, employee benefits consulting, program solutions and private client services. Said John Kelly, formerly CEO of Frenkel & Company and now EPIC New York’s CEO, “Frenkel’s decision to join EPIC has helped us deliver an expansive new set of capabilities to our clients, with the same commitment to service delivery …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/frenkel-company-completes-transition-to-epic-brand/

Compliance Alert: SECURE Act Repeals Cadillac and Other ACA Taxes, Extends PCORI

QUICK FACTS: President Trump recently signed the SECURE Act which, among other things, repealed three ACA taxes. Among the taxes repealed by the SECURE Act is the so-called Cadillac Tax – a 40% tax on certain high-cost group health plans — which has been vocally opposed by bi-partisan legislators and business groups from its inception. Additionally, the SECURE Act repeals the ACA’s health insurance tax and medical device tax. The health insurance tax on health insurers will continue to apply for 2020. Thus, employer plan sponsors of fully insured group health plans will not see any potentially positive …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/compliance-alert-secure-act-repeals-cadillac-and-other-aca-taxes-extends-pcori/

Compliance Alert: Medicare Part D Disclosure to CMS

QUICK FACTS: Employers with group health plans that provide prescription drug coverage to individuals who are eligible for Medicare Part D must disclose to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) certain information about the coverage. The disclosure must be submitted to CMS on an annual basis and at certain other designated times. The disclosure to CMS is due within 60 days after the start of each plan year (February 29, 2020, for calendar year plans). The CMS disclosure is different than the notices of creditable or non-creditable coverage that plan sponsors must issue to Medicare-eligible individuals …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/compliance-alert-medicare-part-d-disclosure-to-cms-2/

Compliance Alert: San Francisco Health Care Security Ordinance Top-Off Payments Due February 29

… Francisco (City), Is required to obtain a San Francisco business registration certificate, and Is a for-profit business with 20 or more persons performing work at any location, or a non-profit organization with 50 or more persons performing work at any location. Covered employees Generally, covered employers must make Expenditures for employees who regularly work at least eight hours per week in San Francisco and have been employed for at least 90 calendar days. Exempt employees The HCSO exempts: Employees who receive health care benefits through another employer and who have waived employer Expenditures by signing an OLSE Employee

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/compliance-alert-san-francisco-health-care-security-ordinance-top-off-payments-due-february-29/

Frenkel Benefits is Now EPIC

… relevant insurance industry news and opinion every week. As the Frenkel brand makes its full transition to EPIC in 2020, that means EPIC is also launching more Insights content. Look out for new insightful and opinionated blog posts –­ and stay tuned for information on the Insights tab about how to subscribe to receive all future posts so you can stay up to date on important insurance industry trends and developments. Read Our Insights Sign up for our Insights Newsletter Get our perspectives on the latest developments in risk management and employee benefits, and how it impacts your business. SUBSCRIBE NOW

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/frenkel-benefits-is-now-epic/

Compliance Alert: Fifth Circuit Rules ACA Individual Mandate Unconstitutional

QUICK FACTS: A Circuit Court has ruled that the ACA’s individual shared responsibility mandate is unconstitutional, in agreement with an earlier District Court ruling. But the Circuit Court sent the case back to the District Court to reconsider whether the unconstitutionality of the individual mandate means that the entire ACA is unconstitutional. The case is likely to remain in litigation for the foreseeable future, as court decisions will likely continue to be appealed. In the meantime, all ACA employer obligations, such as the employer shared responsibility mandate and ACA reporting remain intact, as do all existing market reform rules …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/compliance-alert-fifth-circuit-rules-aca-individual-mandate-unconstitutional/