This week, we feature a guest blog written by Angela Bohman of Leonard Street and Deinard. The article was originally published in Health Plan.

Tags: cobra administration, COBRA notice, cobra notices, COBRA continuation

With the November elections behind us, the way has been paved for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to be fully implemented. For states and federal agencies, that means they have only 11 more months to prepare for millions of uninsured people to start signing up for coverage under the new healthcare exchanges, with open enrollment scheduled to begin October 1, 2013. Coverage under the new exchanges will be effective January 1, 2014, and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that 22 million people will buy coverage through the public exchange system by 2016.

Tags: ppaca, cobra administration, COBRA software, health care reform, HR issues

With open enrollment underway, many employers are once again feeling the strain of rising health care premiums. Some are exploring cost-shifting opportunities, others are looking at employee-directed options and wellness education and the rest are just tightening their belts.

Tags: cobra administration, COBRA software, COBRA participants, cobra eligibility, Health care premiums, census, health care strategy, COBRA mistake, COBRA participation

Every year during open enrollment a few unsuspecting companies make a big HR mistake: They unwittingly allow their COBRA administration program to change along with their benefits plans. Sometimes it’s because the carrier recommends a different COBRA administrator. Sometimes it’s because a broker is offering free COBRA software. And sometimes, the broker and the HR team aren’t even conscious that the change is occurring because the COBRA administration was a free service provided by the old health insurance carrier.

Tags: cobra administration, cobra administrator, COBRA software, open enrollment, COBRA system, COBRA administration program

According to a workplace survey by HR consultant Mercer released last year, employer provided benefits are increasingly vital to the employer-employee relationship. For 91 percent of those employees, having benefits through their employer is just as important as being paid a salary.

Tags: cobra administration, HR issues, COBRA participants, benefits communication, benefit campaigns, open enrollment

If you’ve seen our recent press release, you already know that the North Carolina State Health Plan Board of Trustees recently awarded benefits administration contracts to five companies, including COBRAGuard. The state provides benefits for approximately 664,000 people. With this decision, it expects to save $22.4 million, roughly 19 percent, compared to last year.

Tags: cobra administration, cobra for public entities, outsourcing benefits administration, benefits administration outsourcing, direct billing administration

Feel like you’re paying a lot for healthcare now?  Well, no downturn in healthcare costs is expected in 2013, but on the positive side, there is no huge upturn expected either. A 2012 survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers’ (PWC) Health Research Institute  projects a medical cost trend increase of a relatively flat 7.5 percent for 2013.  Medical cost trend is an important factor that is used to project and formulate the cost health insurance premiums for employers and consumers. 

Tags: cobra administration, health benefit costs, healthcare costs, medical cost trend, COBRA administration outsourcing, outsourcing COBRA

Employers continue struggling to anticipate the evolving regulations of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Staying in compliance with the new law, which is being implemented with staggered deadlines even as regulations are still being written, presents huge challenges and some tough decisions.

Tags: ppaca, ppaca regulations, minimum essential coverage

Many of you already know that The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) Medical Loss Ratio Rule may result in health insurance premium rebates in the coming months.   In fact, insurers are required to send rebates relating to 2011 premiums to employers by August 1, 2012.  What you may NOT know is how you are going to distribute a portion of these rebates back to current employees, past employees, and COBRA participants.  The 2011 rebates will start arriving this summer. The question is, are you ready for them? 

Tags: COBRA training, HR issues, COBRA solutions, COBRA participants, cobra info.

With the Supreme Court’s decision on the new healthcare law in place, employers and insurance providers are taking a closer look at what’s ahead in the coming months and years. One thing that’s certain is that both groups will have to adjust to the new landscape to survive.

Tags: ppaca, healthcare reform, health insurance