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Premiums and Benefits news and information

Magazine
E-cigarette use penalized | Some employers imposing tobacco-use fees

By Steven Ross Johnson | August 31, 2013 | Print Magazine

Cigarette makers' growing move into electronic cigarettes is facing new resistance from large employers.
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Magazine
Scaling back | Some employers altering health plans in reaction to ACA, rising costs

By Rachel Landen | August 24, 2013 | Print Magazine

The University of Virginia last week joined the small but fast-growing cohort of major employers making dramatic changes to their healthcare plans for 2014, which many are blaming on rising healthcare costs and the implementation of the
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Information
Analysis: In Obamacare rate debate, price gets political

By Reuters | August 03, 2013

With the October 1 date for enrollment in the health insurance exchanges being created by Obamacare less than two months away, a war of numbers has been escalating.Health insurance will cost way less. Or it will cost way more. It depends who you ask.
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Information
Md. insurance official approves healthcare rates

By Brian Witte / Associated Press | July 26, 2013

Newly approved rates for health plans that will be sold in the individual market through Maryland's new health benefit exchange will have some of the lowest costs among the 12 states that have either proposed or approved rates, the state's insurance commissioner said Friday.
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Magazine
A change in status | Same-sex couples eligible for benefits, tax breaks

By Joe Carlson | June 29, 2013 | Print Magazine

U.S. Supreme Court's decision to recognize same-sex marriages in at least 13 states will have effects on families' insurance status, healthcare taxes and benefits for serving the federal government.
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News
No 'rate shock' from ACA seen in new filings from health insurers

By Jonathan Block | June 19, 2013 | Basic Web

Remember all of those dire warnings that the health reform law would lead to drastic increases in premiums for 2014? Recent rate filings indicate that's not happening.
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Modern Physician
Consumer-directed plans see drop in primary care

By Melanie Evans | June 04, 2013

Visits to the doctor and pharmacy dropped among workers whose employer switched their health insurance to a high-deductible plan with a health savings account, a newly released Health Affairs study found.
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Information
High-end health plans scale back to avoid 'Cadillac tax'

By New York Times | May 28, 2013

While most of the attention on the reform law has been on providing coverage to millions of uninsured Americans, workers with employer-paid insurance are also beginning to feel the effects.
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News
Democratic analysis questions validity of insurance premium 'rate shock'

By Jonathan Block | May 20, 2013 | Basic Web

Where consumers live and their state's previous insurance rules may determine whether they experience “rate shock” this fall in their small business and individual plans.
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News
Patient engagement's obstacle: human nature

By Joseph Conn | April 11, 2013 | Basic Web

Is patient engagement over-hyped? The chief scientist for pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts won't go that far, but years of experience from a career studying what makes patients tick makes Bob Nease at least consider the possibility.
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