Health Data Collection Limited
Washington — The Supreme Court says state officials can’t force certain health insurers to turn over reams of data revealing how much they pay for medical claims. The justices ruled 6-2 that efforts by Vermont and at least 17 other states to gather and analyze the data conflict with federal law covering reporting requirements for employer health plans. The case involves Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., which operates a self-insured...
5 Ways to Boost a 401(k)
Since the advent of defined contribution plans 30 years ago, the responsibility of saving for retirement has fallen largely on employees’ shoulders. Many employers are freezing or terminating costly pension plans in favor of 401(k)s and similar plans, according to a Prudential Financial Inc. survey. If you’re looking to catch up or get ahead on saving for retirement, there are steps you can take to do that, including the five that...
Employers Test Obamacare By Excluding Some Surgeries
Libbi Stovall couldn’t believe it last month when she looked at the fine print in her company’s 2016 health plan, which supposedly meets the strictest standard for employer obligations under Affordable Care Act rules. The insurance paid for inpatient hospital care, office visits and diagnostic imaging. But it provided no coverage for outpatient surgery, which accounts for two out of every three operations in the nation, according to...
Businesses Preparing for ‘Cadillac Tax’
St. Louis — Thought you had seen the end of major controversy over the Affordable Care Act? Think again. One of the last pieces to take effect promises to soon reignite the fierce debate on President Obama’s landmark health overhaul. It’s known as the “Cadillac tax” — a hefty surcharge on relatively generous employer-sponsored health insurance. The tax won’t take effect until 2018, but many businesses are already bracing for it. Some...
FCC Fines AT&T For Slowing Data
Washington — The Federal Communications Commission slapped AT&T with a $100 million fine Wednesday, accusing the country’s second-largest cellular carrier of drastically slowing down Internet speeds for customers who signed up for “unlimited” data plans. The decision marks the FCC’s most aggressive step to date to regulate Internet providers as Chairman Tom Wheeler follows through with his pledge to ensure that consumers have...
