Zane Benefits Publishes New Information on Upcoming Changes due to Health Reform
Park City, Utah (PRWEB) December 18, 2013 -- Today, Zane Benefits, the number one online small business health benefits solution, published new information on upcoming changes due to health reform.
According to Zane Benefits’ website, here's an updated timeline that provides a snapshot of the major health care reform provisions taking effect in 2014. These health care reform provisions include essential health benefits, the health insurance exchanges, individual premium tax credits, ACA fees, and the elimination of pre-existing condition exclusions.
Health Insurance Exchanges are operational January 1, 2014. Nearly all U.S. citizens and lawfully present individuals are required to maintain qualifying health coverage or pay a penalty. All carriers in the individual and group markets will be required to offer all products approved for sale in a particular market and accept any individual or group that applies for any of those products. Plans and policies are guaranteed renewable.
Beginning on plan years on or after Jan. 1, 2014, pre-existing condition limitations will be eliminated for enrollees of all ages. Certain health benefits that are deemed “essential” must be offered by non-grandfathered individual plans and non-grandfathered, fully insured small group plans offered both on and off the Marketplace in 2014.
ACA increases the small business health tax credit. Small group employers with 25 or fewer employees may be eligible for a tax credit. The tax credit will cover up to 50 percent of the employer’s cost and is available for the first two years an employer offers coverage through the Small Business Health Options Program.
The Health Insurer Fee is designed to help fund premium tax credits and/or cost-sharing assistance for eligible individuals purchasing a qualified health plan through the Marketplace. This annual fee will be determined by the federal government and will be based on a health insurer’s premiums from the previous year.
The provision requiring applicable large employers to offer minimum essential coverage to full-time employees, or pay a fee, was delayed to 2015.
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About Zane Benefits
Zane Benefits was founded in 2006 to provide a revolutionized SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) administration platform ("ZaneHealth") for defined contribution health care. The flagship software provides a 100% paperless administration experience to small businesses and insurance professionals that want to offer better health benefits without a traditional group health insurance plan at lower costs. For more information about Zane Benefits, visit http://www.zanebenefits.com.
Christina Merhar, Zane Benefits, http://www.zanebenefits.com, +1 (800) 391-9209 Ext: 6725, [email protected]
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