As of July 1, 2014, California's minimum wage is $9.00 per hour. While higher than the federal minimum, ours is not the highest in the world or even in the US. Australia's is the world's highest, at $16.88(USD), followed by Luxembourg, Monaco, France, Belgium, New Zealand and several other countries. Meanwhile, Oregon's minimum beats California's by a few cents, and Seattle recently imposed a $15 … [Read more...]

In continuing coverage, the Daily Caller (5/28, Howley) reports that the Internal Revenue Service has revealed it "plans to fine companies $36,500 per employee per year if the companies give their workers money to help them buy health insurance plans rather than directly providing health insurance coverage for the workers." In a Q&A post on its website, the agency wrote, "Under IRS … [Read more...]

SACRAMENTO, CA (May 8, 2014) - SB 1446, a measure authored by Sen. DeSaulnier, passed the Senate Health Committee on Wednesday, May 7 after a 9-0 vote. The bill would permit small businesses that renewed a pre-Affordable Care Act healthcare policy to continue to renew that health coverage until October 1, 2016, and allow the plans to remain in effect until September 30, 2017. President Obama … [Read more...]

As the first states release their 2015 insurance rate proposals, several outlets carry reports of whether premiums are rising or falling across the country. In an overview piece, CNBC (5/13, Mangan) looks at the initial proposals from Washington state and Virginia, noting that "trends from those two states, while not a guarantee of what will happen elsewhere, suggest that fears of double-digit … [Read more...]

The IRS has released the 2015 inflation-adjusted amounts for health savings accounts (HSAs) in Rev. Proc. 2014-30. For 2015, HSA contribution limits and high deductible health plan (HDHP) out-of-pocket maximums are up slightly over 2014, while HDHP minimum required deductibles remain the same as 2013. Annual Contribution Limits: $3,350 for self-only coverage and $6,650 for family … [Read more...]

ACA HAS LED TO PROLIFERATION OF "NARROW NETWORK" PLANS Under the front-page headline, "More Insured, But The Choices Are Narrowing," the New York Times  (5/13, A1, Abelson, Subscription Publication) reports that following the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, "one thing is becoming clear: No matter what kind of health plan consumers choose, they will find fewer doctors and hospitals in … [Read more...]

Is COBRA obsolete? Should employees elect COBRA continuation or look to the Health Insurance Marketplace (Marketplace)? These questions are troubling to both employers and employees. And once deciding whether to obtain coverage through COBRA continuation or the Marketplace is made, there's always the question of if and when a COBRA beneficiary may switch to Marketplace coverage. The Employee … [Read more...]

A special twist added by California law implementing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has caught many employers off guard. The California law imposes a shortened waiting period for healthcare benefits. California added a provision that requires certain employers to offer health insurance benefits to employees within 60-days of employment. Under federal law, employers only need to provide benefits … [Read more...]

People who got off to a rough start with Obamacare or have yet to pick a plan still have options - but only if they move quickly before the open enrollment period ends on March 31. Those who were unable to sign up for a marketplace plan because of the glitches with federal or state websites can receive retroactive coverage to the date they originally applied, as well as retroactive premium tax … [Read more...]

The Obama administration's announcement Wednesday that allows a two-year extension for individual health insurance policies that don't conform to the health care law applies nationwide -- but only to states that agree to the plan, according to a spokeswoman with the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.   In California, even if the state Legislature and Gov. Jerry Brown … [Read more...]