As set forth in the proposed regulations, the Exchange determines whether an individual meets the income and other requirements for the tax credit based in part on the availability of affordable employer-sponsored group health plan coverage. Each month, the credits will be paid directly to the insurer that provides coverage to the eligible individual through the Exchange. This credit will reduce the premium amount owed by the individual.

Talk to your Moreton & Company representative to receive a detailed discussion of the major provisions of the proposed premium tax credit regulations, including eligibility, minimum essential coverage, safe harbors, and computing the premium credit.

In June, CCIIO announced that limited benefit plans have until Sept. 22, 2011, to apply for or renew a temporary waiver from the annual limit restrictions. The CCIIO already has granted waivers to more than 1,500 plans (see below).

In the most recent guidance, the CCIIO noted that “all HRAs set limits on the amount that can be spent and, we believe, those limits would always be less than the applicable restricted annual limit amounts. Accordingly, applying the restrictions on annual limits … to HRAs would result in a significant decrease in access to HRA benefits. Therefore, this guidance exempts as a class all HRAs that are subject to the requirements of [the Affordable Care Act Sec. 2711] and that were in effect prior to Sept. 23, 2010 from having to apply individually for an annual limit waiver for plan years beginning on or after Sept. 23, 2010 but before Jan. 1, 2014.”

If an employer that maintains an HRA also maintains other coverage, whether or not that coverage is integrated with the HRA, that other coverage must meet the annual limit requirements or obtain a waiver.

An HRA that is exempt from an annual limit still must comply with the record retention and annual notice requirements to participants and subscribers set forth in the supplemental guidance issued in June. For instructions on these requirements for HRAs, visit to the “Technical Instructions for the Waiver Extension and Waiver Application Process,” available at http://cciio.cms.gov/resources/other/index.html#alw.

Please contact your Moreton & Company representative if you have any questions regarding these new developments.

The Affordable Care Act requires group health plans and insurers, beginning March 23, 2012, to provide a summary of benefits and coverage explanation (SBC), in easy to understand language, to plan participants, beneficiaries, and certain individuals who inquire about plan coverage. The SBC is intended to help individuals better understand and compare their health coverage options. The new guidance provides a template for plans to use to create an SBC, instructions for completing the template, sample benefit scenarios, and a uniform term glossary.

Contact your Moreton & Company representative today to discuss guidelines regarding the content and distribution of your company’s SBC.

On August 1, 2011, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced historic new guidelines governing preventive health services for women.  Developed by the independent Institute of Medicine, among other items, the new guidelines require new health insurance plans to cover a full range of contraceptive methods approved by the FDA, as well as sterilization procedures, without charging a co-payment, co-insurance or a deductible.

In addition to contraception, the new guidelines require the following women’s preventive services be covered by health plans without any cost-sharing:

• well-woman visits
• screening for gestational diabetes
• human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing for women 30 years and older
• sexually-transmitted infection counseling
• human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening and counseling
• breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling
• domestic violence screening and counseling.

Non-grandfathered health plans will need to include these services without cost sharing for plan years beginning on or after August 1, 2012.

Contemporaneously with release of the new guidelines, the preventive services regulation has been amended to provide that religious institutions that offer insurance to their employees will be able to choose whether or not to cover contraception services.

This regulation is modeled on the most common accommodation for churches available in the majority of the 28 states that already require insurance companies to cover contraception.

We had a great time discussing our history and commitment to client relationships with the magazine.

The Insurance Journal magazine is a great publication, targeted at the property & casualty industry. It is the widest-read independent broker publication in the nation’s largest insurance markets.

“We have assembled experts in commercial insurance, employee benefits, financial, and governmental regulations to present our breakout sessions,” said, Earl F. Hurst, executive vice president, Moreton & Company. “This event gives us an opportunity to reach out to our clients and other businesses in the community and provide an educational and fun experience.”

Daniel C. North, Chief Economist, Euler Hermes ACI, will kick-off the event with his keynote address, ‘Overview of the US Economy’, in the morning. To lighten the mood after lunch, Adrian Gostick, best-selling author of The Carrot Principle, will share ‘How Recognition Accelerates Employee Engagement, Retention, and Performance’ as the concluding keynote speaker.

“We are very pleased to have such highly regarded individuals in their respective fields as our keynote speakers,” Hurst said. “They will be great additions to the team of industry experts we have presenting our breakout sessions.”

To register for the Moreton & Company 2011 Spring Symposium, go to www.moreton.com/spring2011.

Moreton & Company has assembled an all-star line-up of commercial insurance, employee benefit, financial, and governmental regulation experts for our complimentary 2011 Spring Symposium.

Topics that will be discussed in our breakout sessions include:

• Sexual Harassment & the EEOC
• Privacy & Network Securities: Cyber Risk
• Understanding Liability Exposures
• Healthcare Reform Recap
• Utah Health Exchange
• Selling Your Business for Outrageous Prices

Visit our website to see our full course schedule.

Please join us and our team of industry experts for advice, market predictions, and progressive solutions to help you effectively manage every aspect of your insurance and financial needs.

Register now to secure your spot at our symposium! Space is limited!

If you have any questions, please visit our website at www.moreton.com/spring2011 or email us directly at reservations@moreton.com.

At Moreton & Company, we work closely with some of the best auto insurance providers to find superior coverage for excellent prices.

We understand the importance of feeling secure with your auto insurance coverage. We’ll not only look at where you are, but we’ll help you plan for the next few years since coverage that works today may not work when your children begin driving or when you buy a new car.

We have the ability to place most risks, including classic automobiles and drivers who require state filings.

Call Heather Hart at 801-715-7121 to discuss how you can get a complimentary review of your auto insurance coverage.

Let Moreton & Company help you protect your cars and the people who ride in them.

At Moreton & Company, we understand the importance of feeling secure with your home insurance coverage. We work closely with some of the best home insurance providers in the world to find you superior coverage at excellent prices, and we are always available if you have any concerns about your policy.

Call Heather Hart at 801-715-7121 to discuss how you can get a complimentary review of your home insurance coverage.

Let Moreton & Company help you protect the items you love and the home you store them in.