Menu Close

Tag: The Affordable Care Act (ACA)

Watchdog Requests IRS Review Of Group That Is Promoting ObamaCare

A watchdog group is asking the IRS to review the tax-exempt status of a organization crucial in helping to promote ObamaCare.

Cause of Action has asked the IRS to investigate Enroll America, a nonprofit that is encouraging people to enroll in new coverage options under the healthcare law.

The watchdog group said Enroll America should not have received tax-exempt status because its work helps secure new customers for insurance companies.

“If Enroll America is designed to benefit insurance companies instead of the American public, then its charitable status no longer applies,” said Dan Epstein, executive director of Cause of Action. “An organization that has been granted tax deductible status but is actually depriving the American people of taxable revenue warrants an investigation.”

Enroll America is a known ally of the White House, and was established to help raise awareness of new insurance options available under ObamaCare. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has made fundraising calls for the organization.

Click here to read full article.

Breaking: House Votes to Delay Health-Law Mandates

House lawmakers on Wednesday voted to approve two separate bills amending portions of the Affordable Care Act, the latest moves by the GOP to try to throw up hurdles to the Obama health law.

The first bill would codify the year-long delay to the obligation on companies to provide health care coverage to their workers from next year.

The second would delay a similar obligation on individuals to purchase health-care insurance.

The vote on the first bill delaying the employer mandate passed 264-161, with 35 Democrats joining Republicans in supporting it. The vote on the second legislation was approved by a vote of 251-174. On that measure, 22 Democrats sided with the majority.

Click here to read full article

HSA Legislation Would Authorize Spending on Dietary Supplements

Americans with health savings accounts (HSAs) and Health Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) would be eligible to spend money on dietary supplements without a doctor’s prescription under bills that have been reintroduced in the House and Senate.

The legislation would expand the term “medical care” in a section of the Internal Revenue Code to “include amounts paid to purchase herbs, vitamins, minerals, homeopathic remedies, meal replacement products, and other dietary and nutritional supplements.” Individuals covered under the health plans could spend up to $1,000 each taxable year on the products above.

Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN) introduced the legislation in order to simplify and improve HSAs and FSAs. The bills would make a number of changes such as allowing Medicare enrollees to contribute their own funds to their Medicare Medical Savings Accounts, permitting spouses to make catch-up contributions to the same HSA account, and removing restrictions that bar Native Americans from contributing to their HSAs if they have used the medical services of a tribal organization or the Indian Health Service.

Click here to read full article

People Wanting Obamacare Consumer Penalty Waived Outnumber Penalty Supporters 3 to 1

In the aftermath of last week’s surprise 2014 waiver of the employer-mandate to provide health insurance or face a fine, HealthPocket surveyed consumers to assess their feelings regarding the decision not to extend a similar penalty waiver to uninsured consumers.

obamacaresurveypie

 

For employers with 50 or more workers in 2014,1 there was a $2,000 penalty per full time employee for those employees not provided health insurance meeting the requirements of the Affordable Care Act. This insure-or-face-a-penalty provision does not become active for employers until 2015 now that the waiver for 2014 has been announced. However, most consumers still face a penalty for being uninsured starting in 2014. The 2014 penalty amount for individuals is 1% of their annual income or $95, whichever is the larger amount. Families face higher penalties than individuals and the penalty amount itself increases each year until 2016 when it reaches $695 or 2.5% of annual income for individuals, whichever is larger. After 2016 the penalty is adjusted based on cost-of-living.

Click here to read more.