Latest news with #ACA
Business Wire
6 hours ago
- Business
- Business Wire
W3LL Named Inaugural Platinum Sponsor for the HRA Council Continuing Education Program for Health Insurance Brokers and Agents
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The HRA Council today announced that W3LL, an ICHRA integrator and health benefits technology company powered by Softheon, has joined as the inaugural Platinum Sponsor of HRACademy, the Council's premier Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) and Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement (QSEHRA) continuing education (CE) initiative for licensed health insurance brokers and agents. "HRA Council thought leaders are at the forefront of ICHRA adoption and ACA marketplace optimization." W3LL's sponsorship reinforces the HRA Council's mission to expand knowledge and understanding of Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) through high-quality, accessible education. HRACademy offers structured training courses with Continuing Education (CE) Credits focused on individual coverage HRAs (ICHRAs), qualified small employer HRAs (QSEHRAs), and related innovations that are reshaping how American workers and their families access health coverage. 'Education is the HRA Council's core mission,' said Robin Paoli, executive director of the HRA Council. 'HRA Council members across our ecosystem of brokers, carriers, administrators, advisors, and employers, contributed to this highly sought-after new curriculum and we are grateful to W3LL's leadership as our inaugural platinum sponsor.' 'At W3LL, we believe that technology is only as powerful as the people who use it,' said Eugene Sayan, CEO of W3LL. 'Brokers are essential advisors for employers navigating the rapidly evolving health benefits landscape, and all licensed insurance agents need the up-to-date CE Credits HRA Council members have created. Supporting HRACademy aligns perfectly with our commitment to education, innovation, and access.' Building on its existing member-driven educational programs, the HRA Council launched HRACademy in 2025 to provide licensed health insurance professionals with ongoing, in-depth training on HRAs and the broader individual market. HRACademy's growing roster of CE courses is approved in all 50 states for CE credits approved by state Departments of Insurance. 'HRA Council thought leaders are at the forefront of ICHRA adoption and ACA marketplace optimization,' said Robin Paoli. 'Our members are building the HRACademy to share their learning and equip agents with the knowledge and tools they need to empower employers and employees to use these new health coverage options effectively.' For more information on HRACademy and upcoming CE courses, visit For more information on W3LL, visit About the HRA Council The HRA Council is the nation's leading nonprofit coalition dedicated to advancing health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs). Through research, education, and advocacy, the Council supports the expansion of affordable, flexible health coverage for millions of Americans. Learn more at About W3LL W3LL is a partner to brokers, administrators, and benefit technology companies, offering tools that help simplify complex processes. As an ICHRA integrator, W3LL connects brokers and agents directly to health plans through intuitive platforms that simplify enrollment, allow interoperability, and streamline the payments process. Backed by the expertise and success of our parent company, Softheon, W3LL redefines healthcare administration, unlocking new opportunities for growth. Find out more at
CNBC
9 hours ago
- Business
- CNBC
ACA marketplace health plan enrollees could face 'subsidy cliff' in 2026 — here's how to avoid it
Starting in 2026, millions of Americans could see a steep increase in the cost of marketplace health insurance — unless Congress extends a pandemic-era boost that made Affordable Care Act plan premiums more affordable. This could affect millions of Americans, including students, self-employed or contract workers and younger retirees, who buy marketplace insurance and claim the so-called premium tax credit, which makes coverage cheaper. The enhanced benefit is set to expire at the end of the year. If it does, some enrollees could face a "subsidy cliff," which eliminates the premium tax credit entirely, once income exceeds certain thresholds, financial experts say. More from Personal Finance:Trump's 'big beautiful bill' includes these key tax changes for 2025Student loan bills to double for some borrowers as Biden-era relief expiresWhat a Trump, Powell faceoff means for your money If you pass the threshold by even $1 and lose the credit, "costs could go up by hundreds of dollars a month," said certified financial planner Cathy Curtis, CEO of Curtis Financial Planning in Oakland, California. But precise income projections can be tricky, said Curtis, who is also a member of CNBC's Financial Advisor Council. The average ACA enrollee saved roughly $700, about 44%, from the enhanced premium tax credit in 2024, according to November research from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan policy organization. Enacted in early July, President Donald Trump's "big beautiful bill" made permanent the Republicans' 2017 tax cuts. But it did not extend the enhanced ACA subsidies passed via the American Rescue Plan in 2021. It's unclear whether the GOP-controlled Congress will consider such a measure before year-end. Here is a breakdown of what to know about the premium tax credit and how to avoid the "subsidy cliff" if enhancements expire after 2025. If you're eligible for the premium tax credit, you can use it to reduce monthly ACA premiums upfront or claim the credit on your tax return. The tax break was originally for enrollees earning between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. But the American Rescue Plan expanded eligibility above 400%. For 2025, that threshold was $103,280 for a family of three, according to The Peterson Center on Healthcare and KFF, which are both health-care policy organizations. For 2025, more than 22 million people — about 92% of enrollees — receive premium tax credits, according to KFF. That group could be "significantly affected in 2026" if Congress doesn't extend the larger benefit, said Tommy Lucas, a CFP at Moisand Fitzgerald Tamayo in Orlando, Florida. It's important to run tax projections for 2025 and 2026 if premium tax credit changes may affect you, experts said. If you're receiving the tax break for 2025 with earnings over 400% of the federal poverty level, you could explore ways to reduce 2026 income, Lucas said. For example, you may consider accelerating 2026 income into 2025, tax-loss harvesting or claiming a deduction for health savings account contributions, he said. If the bigger premium tax credit expires for 2026, "we're going to have to monitor [income] on a pretty regular basis, at least quarterly, if not monthly" to avoid the cliff, Lucas said.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
McConnell, KY has too much to lose if Medicaid is cut. We won't 'get over it.'
No, Sen. McConnell, people who need health care aren't going to 'get over it.' The stakes are far too high for such a dismissive response about proposed cuts to Medicaid. The Congressional Budget Office estimates these changes could leave nearly 11 million Americans uninsured by 2034. These aren't abstract budget decisions. This legislation will have dire consequences for families, communities, and the providers that serve them. Kentucky has more hospitals at risk of closure than any other state, according to the Sheps Center for Health Service Research at the University of North Carolina. With proposed Medicaid reductions threatening up to $1.3 billion in lost federal funding, as many as 35 hospitals could close, many of them in regions that are already underserved. That kind of loss isn't just a health-care crisis; it's an economic one. According to the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, these cuts could result in 12,100 fewer jobs and $98 million less in state tax revenue, with ripple effects on education, infrastructure and public safety. Medicaid expansion has been one of the most impactful health policy decisions in our state's history, with Kentucky's uninsured rate falling from 14.5% in 2013 to 5.6% in 2023. This coverage has meant improved access to cancer treatment, preventive care, lifesaving medications, and mental health and addiction recovery services. It's helped stabilize rural hospitals, improve health outcomes, decrease racial disparities in coverage, and reduce medical debt. Now, all of that is at risk. And for what? Opinion: McConnell wants KY coal miners to 'get over' Medicaid cuts closing their hospitals Medicaid cuts in Kentucky will hit kids, elderly and people with disabilities Proponents claim these cuts target waste, fraud and abuse. However, the legislation does nothing to rein in drug prices, stop corporate price gouging or address the administrative inefficiencies that drive up costs. Instead, it strips care away from people with the least resources while giving tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans and the largest corporations. Medicaid is vital in Kentucky. It covers roughly a third of the state's population, including: 68% of nursing home residents 46% of Kentucky children 51% of working-age adult Kentuckians living with disabilities Medicaid also plays a critical role in our fight against addiction. Kentucky has one of the highest drug overdose death rates in the country, and Medicaid is the largest payer of substance use disorder treatment. Cutting Medicaid would mean fewer detox beds, less access to counseling and longer waits for recovery services at a time when families can't afford to wait. Beyond Medicaid, other provisions in the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' threaten to destabilize the ACA Marketplace, where 24 million Americans, many of them self-employed or small business owners, purchase coverage. Failing to extend enhanced subsidies could cause an additional 4 million Americans to become uninsured, leading to higher premiums and reduced benefits for those who remain. Letters: McConnell got caught telling a truth he didn't want us to know about Cutting Medicaid services for Planned Parenthood, other providers is alarming As an OBGYN who spent her clinical career promoting gynecologic health, I am dismayed by the bill's intent to prohibit Medicaid funding for nonprofit essential community providers, such as Planned Parenthood clinics, for 10 years. I am further alarmed by the Supreme Court's ruling that will allow states to withhold Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood. This money pays for contraception and screening services, such as pap smears, for primarily low-income patients. It almost never funds abortion; it simply helps those who do not desire or cannot afford to have children avoid unplanned pregnancies, keeps people from getting cancer, and helps people to be healthy so that they can be productive members of society. Bills such as this 'save' money by denying care. Going without medication, heart surgery or cancer treatment costs payers less. Is that the answer? I say NO. Health care is not a luxury. It is a human right. Legislation that makes health care more expensive or difficult to access is morally and ethically wrong. It says that those in power determine who gets care and who doesn't, who lives and who dies. Kentuckians don't need to 'get over it.' We need to demand a system that protects every one of us, before more hospitals close and more lives are lost. Agree or disagree? Submit a letter to the editor. Susan G. Bornstein, MD, MPH, is an OBGYN by training. She became so frustrated with the challenges that many of her patients faced with cost and access to care that she returned to school for a master's degree in public health. In 2021, she founded The Asclepius Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Learn more at This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: McConnell's Medicaid dismissal will save money, not Kentucky | Opinion Solve the daily Crossword
Black America Web
a day ago
- Health
- Black America Web
Affordable Care Act Insurance Could Be 75% More Expensive Next Year
Source: Fauzi Muda / Getty Americans insured under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are facing a substantial increase in their monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs next year as a result of the spending bill President Trump signed into law earlier this month. According to NBC News, a study from health policy research group KFF found insurance companies are looking to raise premiums by an average of 15% in 2026 — the largest increase in five years. The findings come from an analysis of filings placed by over 100 insurers across 19 states. Further adding to the price increases is the fact that several ACA subsidies are set to expire at the end of the year. The subsidies were implemented during the pandemic to allow more people to receive affordable healthcare through the ACA. 2022's Inflation Reduction Act extended those subsidies through 2025, but Donald Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill,' which he signed into law earlier this month, doesn't continue them. As a result, four million people are expected to be priced out of coverage through the ACA. With fewer people paying for coverage, insurance companies are expected to raise costs to make up the difference. There's also growing concern that Trump will follow through on his threat to place tariffs on pharmaceuticals, which would only further increase healthcare costs. On top of increasing prices, the law adds more paperwork requirements for people looking to renew their existing plans, rather than the automatic renewal process currently in place. Furthermore, the open enrollment window has been shortened to only a month. Basically, the Republican party did everything in its power to wipe away all the healthcare gains the ACA provided over the last 15 years. Source: Djordje Krstic / Getty From NBC News: According to KFF's latest analysis, most ACA insurers are proposing premium increases of 10% to 20% for 2026. More than a quarter, the group said, are proposing premium increases of 20% or more. What people actually end up paying out of pocket for their monthly premiums could increase, on average, by more than 75%, Larry Levitt, the executive vice president for health policy at KFF, said on a call with reporters last week. A family of three earning $110,000 a year and enrolled in a silver ACA plan — which usually comes with moderate monthly premiums — could see their monthly cost jump from $779 this year to $1,446 in 2026 when the enhanced subsidies expire, according to KFF. If insurers raise premiums by 15%, the monthly bill could climb even higher, to $1,662. 'This is not a repeal [of the ACA], but it's certainly an attempt to move in that direction,' Edwin Park, a research professor at the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy, told NBC News. 'It'll be much more costly, so that means it'll be less affordable for you to purchase a plan or renew your coverage.' Ending the ACA has long been a desire for President Trump. Despite these changes potentially harming millions of Americans, including many of his own voters, Trump cares more about destroying the legacy of his predecessors than doing what's best for American citizens. While these moves aren't outright ending the ACA, they're more or less destroying the intent of the program. I mean, for God's sake, it's in the name. The Affordable Care Act is supposed to be affordable. American healthcare is already absurdly expensive, and instead of finding ways to alleviate that, Trump and the GOP have only made the problem worse. These changes will undoubtedly lead to worse healthcare outcomes and place undue financial strain on millions of Americans. Are we feeling great again, yet? SEE ALSO: Trump Still Wants to Repeal Obamacare Trump's Latest Obamacare Threat Puts Lives At Risk SEE ALSO Affordable Care Act Insurance Could Be 75% More Expensive Next Year was originally published on
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Intense player auction sets stage for action-packed APL Season Four
VISAKHAPATNAM: The stage is set for Season 4 of the Andhra Premier League (APL) with seven franchises participating in a high-stakes player auction at Radisson Blu in Visakhapatnam recently, where all-rounders commanded top prices. A total of 520 cricketers took part in the auction, competing for contracts across the seven teams. Each franchise was allowed to build a squad of 18 to 20 players, working within a purse limit of Rs 45 lakh. The bidding was intense, especially for quality all-rounders. The participating teams are the Royals of Rayalaseema, Bhimavaram Bulls, Simhadri Vizag Lions, Tungabhadra Warriors, Vijayawada Sunshiners, Kakinada Kings and Amaravati Royals. With the expansion of teams and squad sizes, 20 more players than last season were picked up, giving new talent a platform to shine. APL Season 4 matches will be held from August 8 to 24 at the ACA-VDCA International Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. 'The growing enthusiasm among cricket fans and franchises is a huge motivation for the Andhra Premier League,' said Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) President Keshineni Sivanath (Chinni). ACA Secretary Sana Satish Babu said, 'We are delighted to welcome new franchises into the APL family.'
