While Obamacare may be off to a slow start, some states are requesting further delay. Obamacare’s small business exchange, or SHOP, provides employee choice for health plans, with multiple plan options to choose from. However, the Obama administration delayed employee choice this year, and many states are pushing to delay further due to concerns regarding selection and other setbacks.
Click here to read the full article by Jason Millman for Washington Post.
The age group now being referred to as the Millennials– young adults ranging from 18 to 31 years of age– starting out their professional lives must consider different types of insurance. The group is considered to be more vulnerable due to lower income and assets, and for this reason and many more, should consider looking into the different kinds of insurance to secure their futures.
Click here for the full article by Catherine Fredman for Investopedia.
A new study coming out of Massachusetts examined the effectiveness and links between affordable health insurance and actual improvement in health. Looking at the subjects’ health as a before/after comparison, the study showed improved health after receiving health insurance. Though the improvements were relatively small, the importance of affordable health insurance should not be ignored.
Click here to read the full article by Peter Ubel for Forbes.
Recent research from Carnegie Mellon University has shown that toxic relationships and unpleasant social interactions take a toll not only on your emotional health, but also on your physical health. Negative interactions have been linked to hypertension and inflammation, especially in older women.
Click here to read the full article by Amanda L. Chan for Washington Post.
Health and Human Services has just announced $300 million in grants that will become available for community health centers across the country. The grants, to be distributed under the Affordable Care Act, will provide opportunity for expansion of services, employees, and resources.
Click here to read the full article for California Healthline.
Five factors may have an effect on affordable health insurance rates come 2015. According to the Washington Post, medical costs, customer health, customer age, competition within the insurance market, and overhaul-related changes could sway insurance prices in the next fiscal year.
Click here to read the full article on the Washington Post.
While the enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act ended on March 31, 2014, there is still time to ensure Obamacare coverage if you are currently covered through COBRA- the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. The enrollment deadline for people covered by COBRA is July 1, as Health and Human services deemed options for enrollment were previously unclear. This may provide big benefits to some businesses in potential insurance savings.
Click here to read the full article by Trent Bryson for Entrepreneur.
With Obamacare in full swing and coverage taking effect, many have raised questions regarding how this new coverage is being used. Though the Affordable Care Act has expanded healthcare access to a larger number of Americans, it does not yet seem that the healthcare system is burdened by this increase. Reasons for little change in demand thus far may be attributed to healthy enrollees, a wait time for enrollees in getting appointments, or a low number of enrollees in the first quarter of 2014.
Click here to read the full article by Jason Millman for the Washington Post.
The global insurance market has seen rate increases in many high volume markets, including life insurance, which are driving premium growth internationally. According to Munich Re, an independent risk management and reinsurance company, 2014 will bring growth for premiums of 2.8% and can expect growth of 3.2% in 2015. Rapid industrialization and growth in emerging markets, as well as steady growth from industrialized countries, have contributed to growth in a variety of markets, especially life insurance.
Click here to read the full article by Claire Wilkinson for Insurance Information Institute.
Estimates report that over 8 million people have enrolled in the health insurance exchange created by Obamacare’s Affordable Care Act. But have the figures been overstated? America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) reports that the figures may be exaggerated due to both changing enrollment and duplicate enrollments. The Affordable Care Act under Obamacare launched in 2010, with enrollment for the first year’s healthcare exchange marketplace beginning on October 1, 2013 and ending on March 31, 2014.
Click here to read the full article by Jason Shafrin for Healthcare Economist.