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	<title>Benefits Industry News &#187; Health care reform</title>
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	<description>Current Events in Employee Benefits</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:23:41 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Most large employers changing health benefit for 2011</title>
		<link>http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/health-care/most-large-employers-changing-health-benefit-for-2011/#utm_source=feed&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=feed</link>
		<comments>http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/health-care/most-large-employers-changing-health-benefit-for-2011/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:44:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ken Mensio</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health Care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health Care Reform]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[benefit costs increases]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health care benefit Costs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health care reform]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prescription drugs benefits]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/?p=504</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[According to a new survey by National Business Group on Health, more than half (53%) of large U.S. employers plan to revise  their 2011 health care benefit programs in the wake of health care reform legislation and anticipated large benefit cost increases next year.]]></description>
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		<title>Lowering costs before reform takes effect will pay off in the long run</title>
		<link>http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/health-care/lowering-costs-before-reform-takes-effect-will-pay-off-in-the-long-run/#utm_source=feed&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=feed</link>
		<comments>http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/health-care/lowering-costs-before-reform-takes-effect-will-pay-off-in-the-long-run/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:04:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ken Mensio</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health Care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health Care Reform]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[controlling heaalth care spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health care costs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health care reform]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIPAA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PBM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prescription Costs]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/?p=485</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Change is definitely on the horizon. The recently passed health care reform legislation is designed to ensure virtually all Americans will have access to reasonably priced medical insurance and, as a result, reasonably priced health care.

As companies move toward new rules and mandates, most will find that implementing measures to reduce health care costs now will pay off in the long run.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, total spending on health care in the U.S. has doubled over the last 30 years and now makes up about 16 percent of the gross domestic product
]]></description>
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		<title>Key notification and communication requirements in health care reform</title>
		<link>http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/health-care/key-notification-and-communication-requirements-in-health-care-reform/#utm_source=feed&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=feed</link>
		<comments>http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/health-care/key-notification-and-communication-requirements-in-health-care-reform/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:33:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ken Mensio</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health Care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health Care Reform]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health care bill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health Care Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health care reform]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/?p=477</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You’ve likely been focusing mostly on the plan design and administration requirements of health care reform. But, the law has a series of new notification and communication requirements that start this year and extend over the next several years.

You’ll need to be thinking not only about the strategic communication needs—how to keep employees engaged in their health and managing costs—but also how to meet these legal requirements in a way that adds the most value. (And, creates the least amount of additional work for you and your team.)

Much is still in flux about the changes in health care, but this article captures the key notification requirements and what to look for as regulations are issued.

Seven health care reform notices ]]></description>
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		<title>Health-reform regs overhaul claims appeals process</title>
		<link>http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/health-care/self-insured-health-plans/health-reform-regs-overhaul-claims-appeals-process/#utm_source=feed&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=feed</link>
		<comments>http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/health-care/self-insured-health-plans/health-reform-regs-overhaul-claims-appeals-process/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:02:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ken Mensio</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health Care Reform]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Self Insured Health Plans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Appeals process regulations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health care reform]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PPACA]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/?p=472</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Obama Administration released interim final regulations aimed at creating a system of checks and balances for the internal and external appeals processes of health claims.

Governed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the interim final rule requires group health plans and insurers to establish a comprehensive appeals processfor patients who appeal decisions on coverage, services and claim payments. The interim final regulations apply to self-funded health plans, but not to grandfathered plans under the PPACA.

The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury issued the interim final rule, which will take effect on Sept. 21, 2010.]]></description>
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		<title>Gov’t unveils new Patient’s Bill of Rights under PPACA</title>
		<link>http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/health-care/gov%e2%80%99t-unveils-new-patient%e2%80%99s-bill-of-rights-under-ppaca/#utm_source=feed&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=feed</link>
		<comments>http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/health-care/gov%e2%80%99t-unveils-new-patient%e2%80%99s-bill-of-rights-under-ppaca/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:57:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ken Mensio</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health Care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health care reform]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Patient’s Bill of Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PPACA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Preexisting condition exclusions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[regulations]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/?p=386</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Federal regulators released interim final rules implementing a new Patient's Bill of Rights under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The guidance addresses preexisting condition exclusions, retroactive rescissions, lifetime limits and annual dollar limits.

Source: Employee Benefit News article used by permission

"These rules effectively put in place a basic set of consumer protections known over the years as the 'Patient's Bill of Rights.' This is a concept introduced 15 years ago and supported by both Democrats and Republicans," said Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius in an e-mail statement.

The Federal Register will publish the rules on June 28. The new regulations, issued by the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury, will take effect for most plans on or after Sept. 23. For calendar year plans, the rules will take effect Jan. 1, 2011.

The interim final rules, which are nearly 200 pages, focus on PPACA provisions that apply to all health plans, including grandfathered health plans. According to consultants at Hewitt Associates, the provisions in the interim final rules adopt the following:]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/health-care/gov%e2%80%99t-unveils-new-patient%e2%80%99s-bill-of-rights-under-ppaca/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>A Timely And Important Webinar: Update on National Health Care Reform</title>
		<link>http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/health-insurance/231/#utm_source=feed&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=feed</link>
		<comments>http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/health-insurance/231/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:02:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ken Mensio</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health Care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health Care Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Webinar Series]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health care reform]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care & Education Affordability Reconciliation Act]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[required workers heatlh insurance]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/?p=231</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The recent passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care &#038; Education Affordability Reconciliation Act affects nearly every American and will reshape approximately one-sixth of the national economy. Under this new legislation, Americans for the first time will be required to purchase health insurance, and will face penalties if they fail or refuse to do so. Additionally, employers for the first time will be required to offer their workers health insurance coverage, and those that don't will face fines and penalties. In this one-hour webinar, we will provide an up-to-the minute clear and complete review of Health Care Reform’s main requirements as well as a practical discussion of what it means to employers.]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Health Care Debate</title>
		<link>http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/health-insurance/health-care-debate/#utm_source=feed&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=feed</link>
		<comments>http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/health-insurance/health-care-debate/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:09:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ken Mensio</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health Care Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bipartisan approach]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[free market]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health care bill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health care reform]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.csibenefits.us/blog/?p=11</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It is time to scrap the current bill and come up with a true bipartisan bill that is based on the free market and not government take over of the entire system. Admittedly, there are major issues but government take over is not the solution.]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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