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Health Reform Implementation
With the passage of federal health reform legislation, NACo is making it a priority to provide counties with useful and timely information and resources about health reform implementation implications for counties.
NACo would also like to respond to your needs by addressing your questions and concerns. Sign up for health reform implementation updates, or send health reform implementation questions or feedback about NACo’s health reform implementation activities to healthreforminfo@naco.org. We look forward to hearing from you and working to assist you with health reform implementation in the coming months.
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Committee Submits Report on Health Shortage AreasNovember 21, 2011 NACo County News article outlining the details of the final report of the Negotiated Rulemaking Committee on the Designation of Medically Underserved Populations and Health Professional Shortage Areas What's Next for Health Reform?November 29, 2010 County News article highlighting upcoming health reform implementation issues and a recap of some of the Affordable Care Act provisions implemented in 2010 |
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Webinar on Feb. 23, 2-3:15 p.m. EST: Health Coverage for Your County Jail’s Pretrial Population Through the Affordable Care Act many uninsured, low-income individuals—some of whom will be involved in the criminal justice system—will become eligible for Medicaid and subsidized private health plans in 2014. Learn about the possible opportunities for individuals being held pretrial in county jails to gain health coverage, issues counties may face enrolling people in custody into appropriate plans and the potential fiscal relief this may offer counties. 2011 Legislative Conference Workshop PresentationPresentation at NACo's 2011 Legislative Conference by Eli Briggs of the National Association of County and City Health Officials for the workshop "The Affordable Care Act: Prevention and Public Health Investments" 2010 Annual Conference Workshop PresentationsPresentations at NACo's 2010 Annual Conference by Steven Kreisberg of AFSCME and by Jon Hager of the Nevada Public Employees' Benefits Program for the workshop "How Will Health Reform Affect Your County Employees' Health Benefits?" WIR Health Reform Workshop PresentationsPresentations at NACo’s 2010 Western Interstate Region Conference by Matt Kazan from the Senate Finance Committee and by Beth Dillon, Health Resources and Services Administration, Denver office |
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ACA Funding Opportunity: Health Care Innovation Challenge; LOIs due 12/19 & Applications due 1/27/12 On 11/14 HHS announced the Health Care Innovation Challenge, which will provide up to $1 billion in awards to support innovative initiatives to improve care quality and reduce cost for individuals enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. A preference will be given for efforts that rapidly train and help place health care workers. The three-year awards will range from $1 million to $30 million, and eligible applicants include local governments, as well as health care providers and payers, community organizations, and public-private partnership arrangements. Letters of intent are due December 19 and full applications are due January 27, 2012, with funding expected to be awarded in March 2012. |
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New IRS Guidance on ACA W-2 Reporting RequirementsOn 1/3 the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Notice 2012-9 to clarify and expand on previously released interim guidance regarding the ACA’s requirement for employers to report the value of health insurance coverage on employees’ W-2 forms. Employers are required to comply with these requirements for W-2 forms that will be issued in 2013 for work performed in 2012 HHS Releases Guidance to States on Essential Health BenefitsOn 12/16/11, HHS proposed guidance to states regarding requirements for defining an essential health benefits package. Under the ACA, certain insurance plans, including those offered through the health insurance exchanges, must provide an essential health benefits package. The guidance allows states to select an existing health plan to serve as the benchmark for outlining the services and items contained in the benefits package HHS Releases Final Rule on Co-Op PlansOn 12/13/11, HHS released final rules regarding the standards for Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans (CO-OPs), which are private, nonprofit consumer-governed health insurance plans authorized through the ACA HHS Issues Final Medical Loss Ratio RuleOn 12/7/11 HHS issued final rules concerning the ACA’s medical loss ratio requirements for insurance companies. The regulations state that insurers must spend 80 or 85% of customer premiums on medical costs or plans will be required to provide customers rebates HHS Awards Additional Exchange Grants to StatesOn 11/29/11 HHS awarded 13 states nearly $220 million in funding to support health insurance exchange development. In conjunction with the funding HHS also released a document of answers to states’ frequently asked questions regarding the exchanges National Prevention StrategyOn 6/16/11 U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin and members of the National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health Council released the National Prevention Strategy called for through the ACA |
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