{"id":292,"date":"2011-05-23T19:03:28","date_gmt":"2011-05-24T03:03:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ddibenefits.com\/news\/?p=119"},"modified":"2011-05-23T19:03:28","modified_gmt":"2011-05-24T03:03:28","slug":"ddi-benefits-news-may-2011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddibenefits.com\/site\/2011\/05\/ddi-benefits-news-may-2011\/","title":{"rendered":"DDI Benefits News &#124; May, 2011"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p style=\"font-size: 22px;margin-top: 8px;margin-right: 0px;margin-bottom: 8px;padding: 0px;font-style: italic;color: #e0601f;font-weight: bold;letter-spacing: 4px;text-transform: lowercase;font-family: Palatino, serif;line-height: 24px;\"><a name=\"one_year\" id=\"one_year\"><\/a>healthcare reform one year later&#8230;<br \/>\n      a reminder of what\u2019s new<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size: 12px;line-height: 16px;margin-top: 8px;margin-right: 0px;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 0;color: #000;font-family: Palatino, serif;\">What\u2019s changed since March 23, 2010 when the Patient Protection and Affordable<br \/>\n  Care Act (PPACA) was passed?<\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 0;margin: 0;\">\n<li style=\"padding: 0;margin: 0;padding-bottom: 0px;padding-top: 0;padding-left: 2px;margin-top: 4px;margin-right: 0;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 15px;font-size: 12px;font-family: Palatino, serif;line-height: 16px;\">Dependent children are allowed to continue coverage up to age 26<\/li>\n<li style=\"padding: 0;margin: 0;padding-bottom: 0px;padding-top: 0;padding-left: 2px;margin-top: 4px;margin-right: 0;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 15px;font-size: 12px;font-family: Palatino, serif;line-height: 16px;\">Removal of lifetime limits <\/li>\n<li style=\"padding: 0;margin: 0;padding-bottom: 0px;padding-top: 0;padding-left: 2px;margin-top: 4px;margin-right: 0;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 15px;font-size: 12px;font-family: Palatino, serif;line-height: 16px;\">Restrictions on annual limits for essential health benefits<\/li>\n<li style=\"padding: 0;margin: 0;padding-bottom: 0px;padding-top: 0;padding-left: 2px;margin-top: 4px;margin-right: 0;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 15px;font-size: 12px;font-family: Palatino, serif;line-height: 16px;\">Removal of preexisting conditions for children under age 19<\/li>\n<li style=\"padding: 0;margin: 0;padding-bottom: 0px;padding-top: 0;padding-left: 2px;margin-top: 4px;margin-right: 0;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 15px;font-size: 12px;font-family: Palatino, serif;line-height: 16px;\">Over-the-counter drugs are restricted for Flexible Spending Account<br \/>\n        (FSA) reimbursements<\/li>\n<li style=\"padding: 0;margin: 0;padding-bottom: 0px;padding-top: 0;padding-left: 2px;margin-top: 4px;margin-right: 0;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 15px;font-size: 12px;font-family: Palatino, serif;line-height: 16px;\">100% coverage for \u201cpreventive care\u201d benefits<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-size: 12px;line-height: 16px;margin-top: 8px;margin-right: 0px;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 0;color: #000;font-family: Palatino, serif;\">Other changes include a Small Business Tax Credit for employers with less<br \/>\n      than 25 full time employees and meeting certain criteria. <\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size: 12px;line-height: 16px;margin-top: 8px;margin-right: 0px;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 0;color: #000;font-family: Palatino, serif;\">Regulatory guidance continues to be released clarifying the new rules.&nbsp; Some<br \/>\n      provisions have been delayed for further clarification such as nondiscrimination<br \/>\n      testing and W-2 reporting of health costs.&nbsp; <\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size: 16px;font-style: italic;color: #e0601f;margin-top: 8px;margin-right: 0px;margin-bottom: 8px;text-transform: lowercase;font-family: Palatino, serif;font-weight: bold;line-height: 20px;\">what is the financial impact of the health reform provisions so far?<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size: 12px;line-height: 16px;margin-top: 8px;margin-right: 0px;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 0;color: #000;font-family: Palatino, serif;\">Health plans are trying to analyze the effect of the current requirements,<br \/>\n      but the potential impact won\u2019t be fully recognized until all the regulations<br \/>\n      are finalized.&nbsp; Some insurance companies estimate the impact to premium<br \/>\n      rates based on the above changes will be between .5% and 3.5%. <\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size: 16px;font-style: italic;color: #e0601f;margin-top: 8px;margin-right: 0px;margin-bottom: 8px;text-transform: lowercase;font-family: Palatino, serif;font-weight: bold;line-height: 20px;\">what\u2019s next?<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size: 12px;line-height: 16px;margin-top: 8px;margin-right: 0px;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 0;color: #000;font-family: Palatino, serif;\">If the regulations are actually implemented, the biggest changes will<br \/>\n      occur in 2014, when there will be an individual mandate, an employer mandate,<br \/>\n      employer penalties of either $2000 or $3000 per employee for not offering<br \/>\n      insurance, and the implementation of state based exchanges, where individuals<br \/>\n      and employees may be eligible for premium subsidies.&nbsp;  However, with<br \/>\n      so much uncertainty as to how the law will be interpreted or even upheld,<br \/>\n      many employers should be cautious of making sweeping changes over the next<br \/>\n      few years. DDI will keep you informed along the way, so you will have the<br \/>\n      facts to make the best decisions for your business.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size: 12px;color: #e0601f;font-style: italic;font-family: Palatino, serif;font-weight: bold;margin-top: 8px;margin-right: 0px;margin-bottom: 8px;line-height: 18px;\">^back<br \/>\n      to top<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size: 16px;font-style: italic;color: #e0601f;margin-top: 8px;margin-right: 0px;margin-bottom: 8px;text-transform: lowercase;font-family: Palatino, serif;font-weight: bold;line-height: 20px;\">reform facts:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 0;margin: 0;\">\n<li style=\"padding: 0;margin: 0;padding-bottom: 0px;padding-top: 0;padding-left: 2px;margin-top: 4px;margin-right: 0;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 15px;font-size: 12px;font-family: Palatino, serif;line-height: 16px;\">Over 600,000 young adults under 26 joined their parents\u2019 plans in the<br \/>\n        first quarter of 2011, faster growth than predicted under HHS\u2019s estimate<br \/>\n        of 1.2 million by end of 2011. (Source: Kaiser Health News) <\/li>\n<li style=\"padding: 0;margin: 0;padding-bottom: 0px;padding-top: 0;padding-left: 2px;margin-top: 4px;margin-right: 0;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 15px;font-size: 12px;font-family: Palatino, serif;line-height: 16px;\">24 percent of young adults 18-26 were uninsured in the first four months<br \/>\n        of 2011, compared to 28 percent in 2010. (Source: Gallup) <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-size: 16px;font-style: italic;color: #e0601f;margin-top: 8px;margin-right: 0px;margin-bottom: 8px;text-transform: lowercase;font-family: Palatino, serif;font-weight: bold;line-height: 20px;\">healthcare facts:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 0;margin: 0;\">\n<li style=\"padding: 0;margin: 0;padding-bottom: 0px;padding-top: 0;padding-left: 2px;margin-top: 4px;margin-right: 0;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 15px;font-size: 12px;font-family: Palatino, serif;line-height: 16px;\">More than seven of ten adults believe the U.S. health system needs<br \/>\n        fundamental change or complete rebuilding. (Source: The Commonwealth<br \/>\n        Fund)<\/li>\n<li style=\"padding: 0;margin: 0;padding-bottom: 0px;padding-top: 0;padding-left: 2px;margin-top: 4px;margin-right: 0;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 15px;font-size: 12px;font-family: Palatino, serif;line-height: 16px;\">Employer health costs increased 14 percent in the last five years:<br \/>\n        employee out-of-pocket costs (premiums, co-payments, deductibles) increased<br \/>\n        47 percent while wages increased 18 percent percent. (Source: Bureau<br \/>\n        of Labor Statistics [BLS])<\/li>\n<li style=\"padding: 0;margin: 0;padding-bottom: 0px;padding-top: 0;padding-left: 2px;margin-top: 4px;margin-right: 0;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 15px;font-size: 12px;font-family: Palatino, serif;line-height: 16px;\">Health costs for children: $1,468 annually; cost for children with<br \/>\n        diabetes: $9,061 annually\u2014$9,333 with insulin and $5,683 with oral medications.<br \/>\n        (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-size: 16px;font-style: italic;color: #e0601f;margin-top: 8px;margin-right: 0px;margin-bottom: 8px;text-transform: lowercase;font-family: Palatino, serif;font-weight: bold;line-height: 20px;\">healthcare quotes: <\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size: 12px;line-height: 16px;margin-top: 8px;margin-right: 0px;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 0;color: #000;font-family: Palatino, serif;\">Beyond Health INSURANCE reform to Health CARE reform&#8230;<\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 0;margin: 0;\">\n<li style=\"padding: 0;margin: 0;padding-bottom: 0px;padding-top: 0;padding-left: 2px;margin-top: 4px;margin-right: 0;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 15px;font-size: 12px;font-family: Palatino, serif;line-height: 16px;\">\u201cImproving the way we deliver care is the right way to make our health<br \/>\n        care system sustainable over the long run. The alternative would limit<br \/>\n        services and shift onerous burdens to the people who need it the most.\u201d<br \/>\n        <em style=\"font-style: italic;\">Don<br \/>\n        Berwick, CMS Administrator, \u201cThe Right way to Reform Medicare\u201d Wall Street<br \/>\n        Journal Editorial April 29, 2011. <\/em><\/li>\n<li style=\"padding: 0;margin: 0;padding-bottom: 0px;padding-top: 0;padding-left: 2px;margin-top: 4px;margin-right: 0;margin-bottom: 0;margin-left: 15px;font-size: 12px;font-family: Palatino, serif;line-height: 16px;\">\u201cAnd we have today a 21st-century operating room and a 19th-century<br \/>\n        administrative room. Health IT is the best way to bring that administrative<br \/>\n        room to the 21st century.\u201d<br \/>\n        <em style=\"font-style: italic;\">        Senator Tom Daschle (D-ND) Co-Leader, Bipartisan<br \/>\n        Policy Center (BPC) Health Project, April 26, 2011, \u201cA Dialogue on Health<\/em>\u201d.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-size: 12px;color: #e0601f;font-style: italic;font-family: Palatino, serif;font-weight: bold;margin-top: 8px;margin-right: 0px;margin-bottom: 8px;line-height: 18px;\"><a href=\"#top\" style=\"color: #e0601f;\ttext-decoration: none;\">^back to top<\/p>\n<p>      <\/a>\n    <\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style: italic;font-size: 13px;line-height: 17px;color: #C60;text-align: left;margin-top: 8px;font-family: Palatino, serif;margin-right: 0px;margin-bottom: 8px;font-weight: bold;\">For more information on creating a customized benefits package for your employees,  contact DDI Benefits at 503.206.5654, or via email to <a href=\"mailto:dena@ddibenefits.com\" style=\"color: #444;\ttext-decoration: none;\">dena@ddibenefits.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Healthcare reform one year later. Click for the entire newsletter&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,9,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-292","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-healthcare-reform","category-resources","category-small-business"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa1tE9-4I","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddibenefits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/292","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddibenefits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddibenefits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddibenefits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddibenefits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=292"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ddibenefits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/292\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddibenefits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=292"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddibenefits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=292"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddibenefits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=292"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}