As reported by The Journal of The American Medical Association, increasing trends in health insurance premiums outpaced both inflation and worker's earnings. Average employer and employee cost share for premiums for the past two years, family annual premium costs and…

Anthem announced effective January 1, 2016 the addition of four hospitals in Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont to their Pathway Network of providers currently serving individual market customers who purchase ACA-qualified plans. The four hospitals are: York Hospital - Maine Holy…

The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced a limited extension of the early 2016 due dates for the 2015 information reporting requirements for employers and insurers under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This is…

President Obama signed a federal budget bill for 2016 that makes significant changes to three tax provisions under the Affordable Care Act (ACA): 1. Delays the implementation of the ACA’s Cadillac tax on high-cost group health coverage for two years,…

NEEBCo received notification from Community Health Options (CHO) that they had made a decision to cease selling new individual coverage beginning January 1, 2016. Attached you will find press releases from CHO and from the New Hampshire Insurance Department regarding…

In early 2016, many employees will receive one or more 1095 forms from either their health insurance company, employer or both. It is important that employees save these forms as they provide key information necessary for them to complete their…

Anthem NH is extending application deadlines for individual health coverage sold off-exchange (outside of the Health Insurance Marketplace). The deadline extension applies only to applications for January 1, 2016 and February 1, 2016 coverage effective dates. For a January 1…

As of January 1, 2016, all of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts fully insured health plans will include Telehealth, defined as a real-time video visit with a physician or therapist using a smart phone, tablet or computer. There is…

On Nov. 2, 2015, President Obama signed into law the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, which included a provision repealing the ACA’s automatic enrollment requirement. Therefore, this requirement will not take effect at any point, and employers will not be…

Effective December 1, 2015, Elliot Health System is joining the network of Minuteman Health, a Massachusetts based not-for-profit Consumer Operation and Oriented Plan (or CO-OP). Minuteman Health offers employer health insurance options in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. "We know that…

Effective for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2013, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) imposes a dollar limit on employees’ salary reduction contributions to health flexible spending accounts (FSAs) offered under cafeteria plans. The ACA set the health…

Tufts Health Freedom Plan has received approval from the New Hampshire Insurance Department (NHID) to begin offering health coverage for small employers (less than 50 full time equivalent employees). Tufts Health Freedom Plan is owned by Granite Health, comprising of…