Crane Agency – House Republicans Release ACA Replacement Plan
Crane Agency – Market Stabilization Proposed Rule Issued
March 2017 – Live Well Work Well Newsletter
March 2017 – HR Brief – Crane Agency
March 2017 – Benefits Buzz – Crane Agency
Please find attached your March Wellness Newsletter from The Charles L. Crane Agency. The Live Well, Work Well newsletter is an employee newsletter that is produced monthly and covers topics like health, wellness, fitness, nutrition and personal finance. This month’s issue provides tax preparation tips, examines lowering workplace stress levels and lists tips for spring break travel plans.
You will also find attached this month’s Benefits Buzz and HR Brief. This month’s Benefits Buzz looks ahead at what the ACA might look like under President Trump, discusses the challenges to becoming health care literate and explains block grants and their importance. This month’s HR Brief gives an overview of company culture and its importance, provides an update on the status of the delayed overtime rule and briefly explains how the national average wage increase may impact your company.
In other news, we continue to receive a number of questions regarding the impact on Health Care Reform (PPACA) as a result of the Trump administration. On February 15, 2017, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a proposed rule to help stabilize the individual and small group markets. It is the first example of how the Secretary of HHS may reduce the “economic burden” of the Affordable Care Act, as directed in the January 20, 2017 Executive Order issued by the White House. The proposed changes impact a number of existing regulations specific to individual and small group market plans, effective for the 2018 plan year.
The proposed rule does not directly impact large group or expatriate health plans, but rather intends to help stabilize the Health Insurance Marketplace, provide more flexibility to states and insurers, and give individual health plan consumers more coverage options. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the proposed changes aim to help protect enrollees in the individual and small group markets while future reforms are being debated. We expect more details from the current administration this week and welcome any/all questions as your advisor.
Thank you for your continued confidence in the Benefits Department of the Crane Agency. Please do not hesitate to contact your agent or service representative with any additional questions.