Recent Articles
Obama Pushes For State Help On Health Exchanges
(Reuters) - The Obama administration this week will try to encourage reluctant U.S. states to move forward with health insurance exchanges amid fears that time is running out for states to act on a reform provision meant to extend coverage to millions of...
BCBSIL Eliminates Pre-existing Waiting Period on Individual Policies with Prior Individual Coverage
Effective July 1, 2012, the pre-existing waiting period on new Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) individual policies can now be offset by prior individual coverage with another carrier, provided: Application is received on or after July 1, 2012 The prior...
Report: 5,000 Illinois Deaths caused by lack of health insurance
(Crain's) — Nearly 5,000 Illinois residents died between 2005 and 2010 because they didn't have insurance, according to a new report issued just days before the U.S. Supreme Court's expected ruling on the federal overhaul of health care. Illinois ranked sixth among...
BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois sued over out-of-network charges
(Crain's) — Two Northwest Side outpatient surgery centers that are part of a group of Chicago-area clinics allege that Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Illinois has reneged on “unambiguous promises” of coverage for services totaling more than $10 million, as the...
Supreme Court upholds health care law as tax measure
WASHINGTON— The Supreme Court led by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. upheld the heart of President Obama's health care law today, ruling that the government may impose tax penalties on those who do not have health insurance. The decision came on a 5-4 vote, with the...
BCBSIL’s Parent Company Income Drops 6.7 Percent in 1st Quarter of 2012
(Crain's) — Net income for the parent of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Illinois dipped to about $408 million in the first quarter, compared with a year ago, as claims rose faster than revenue. Health Care Service Corp.'s first-quarter net income slipped 6.7 percent, to...
IRS May Eliminate FSA Use-It-or-Lose-It Rule
Employers and plan administrators that offer health flexible spending accounts have been bracing themselves for Jan. 1, 2013. That’s when the $2,500 limit on health FSA salary reduction contributions provided for in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act kicks...
Health Savings Account Enrollment Up 18 Percent
Enrollment in health savings accounts (HSAs) grew 18 percent last year as employers continued to steer workers into high-deductible medical plans, an insurance group said this morning. HSA membership rose from 11.4 million in January 2011 to 13.5 million in January...
Internal Revenue Service Issues Final Regulations Governing Health Insurance Premium Tax Credit
In regulations to be published in the May 23 Federal Register, the Internal Revenue Service provides guidance for individuals who enroll in qualified health plans through American Health Benefit Exchanges and claim the health insurance premium tax credit and for...
Dupage Medical Group takes 1st step to not cover uninsured immigrants
DuPage Medical Group has added a Race and Ethnicity Guide to their registration process when patients seek medical treatment. The Guide, which asks patients to indicate their race and ethnicity, assures that the information will only be used as part of the Meaningful...