Blogs

A year-old Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rule regarding premium tax credits under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) faces controversy as it expands premium tax credits to people in states with a Federal Exchange. The rule was issued to address a missing provision in PPACA that would leave individuals in states operating under a federally operated health care Exchange ineligible for premium tax credits and lead to a serious challenge to the Employer Mandate. Now, two courts are hearing challenges to the IRS rule.   
 
To recap,...

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), wellness is one element of health care reform that is taking center stage. 

Generally, health plans may not discriminate based on a health factor against individual participants with regards to eligibility, benefits, or premiums (health factors include health status, medical condition, claims experience, receipt of health care, medical history, genetic information, evidence of insurability, and disability). However, an exception to this rule allows for premium discounts, rebates, or modifications to otherwise...