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Healthcare and all

Some content below provided by Heartland Payment Systems a RAMW Endorsed Provider. The Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) third open enrollment is underway and there are even more changes to the law this year. The stakes are higher for everyone involved in 2016. From new, complicated tax forms to increased penalties for noncompliance, the confusion and sense of urgency mounts for business owners across the U.S. What is the ACA or “Obamacare”? Under this law, you may be required to provide your employees with a certain level of insurance coverage, and weeding through the...
  According to U.S. Census Bureau Report, Uninsured Rates Drop in All 50 States and the District of Columbia By Tamara Kramer September 16th, 2015 New 2014 health insurance numbers released today from the U.S. Census Bureau show decreases in the rate of the uninsured in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. These numbers, which cover calendar year 2013 and calendar year 2014, allow us for the first time to look at how the policies of the Affordable Care Act have affected the nation’s overall insurance rate. The state-by-state breakdown shows that Massachusetts...
The Open Enrollment Period for 2016 begins November 1, 2015.  During this time, individuals and families can make changes to existing plans or obtain new coverage.  This period extends until January 31, 2016.  As an individual or family seeking coverage, you have a number of options to get your questions answered or to get help with your enrollment. You can speak to an insurance broker, an in-person assister (IPA), or go to a one-touch center around the city at any time for free help with new plans or changes to existing plans.  For RAMW members, we also have Jackie Ludden...
Washington Business Journal: D.C. health exchange launches new tool to make finding a doctor easier By Tina Reed - 8/20/2015, 5:00am EDT D.C. launched a new online tool to ease the task of finding a doctor that accepts plans sold on the District's health insurance marketplace. Called the Universal Doctor Directory 1.0, the new tool available on D.C. Health Link allows consumers to search individual and family plans to figure out which doctors participate in particular plans. The directory also allows consumers to find a new doctor by ZIP code, last name or specialty and then see which...
DC Health Link Extends Call Center Hours Ahead Of Tax Deadline NBCWashington With the April 15 deadline to file income tax returns fast approaching, DC Health Link’s Contact Center will be open on Saturday, April 4 and Saturday, April 11 to answer questions from District residents regarding providing information about health insurance for their tax returns. The Affordable Care Act requires residents to have qualifying health insurance for the entire year, report a health coverage exemption, or make a payment when they file their taxes. Additionally, DC Health Link is holding a...
D.C. Health Benefit Exchange Newsweek: Obamacare Will Survive Even a Republican President (Opinion) BY HENRY J. AARON - 3/29/2015, 5:03 PM   Anniversaries are times for taking stock. And so it is with the Affordable Care Act—a.k.a., the ACA or Obamacare.   Now, at the time of the fifth anniversary of the law’s passage, the law remains in existential jeopardy. The Supreme Court is considering whether the law, as drafted, permits payment of tax credits in the 34 states that use HealthCare.Gov as their administrative agent. These credits make insurance...
Navigating the health care maze can seem like 10,000 questions.  In this post, I have addressed a number of questions that face small business owners every day.  How does an employer choose the correct plan for employees? What options are available and which ones fit the needs of all of the employee’s healthcare consumption? Are high deductible plans worth it? Your employees range from age 20 to 60 plus with different aged dependents too.  Some employees only need coverage for themselves and others need to cover dependents. Do you offer one plan, two plans or possibly...
DC Health Link consumers saw some of the smallest premium increases in region Washington Business Journal  The District had some of the lowest health insurance rate increases on its marketplace between 2014 and 2015, according to a recent report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Nationally, costs for a silver plan — one of the mid-level options and the most popular tier of health plans — increased 2.9 percent. For the least-expensive silver plan for a 40-year-old nontobacco user, that accounts for an increase to $264 in monthly premiums in 2015, up from $256...
PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release: March 9, 2015 Contact: Adam Hudson: (202) 527-5622; adam.hudson@dc.gov Linda Wharton Boyd: (202) 351-9777; linda.wharton-boyd@dc.gov   Special Enrollment Offered to Uninsured District Residents Facing IRS Tax Penalties Individuals and Families Can Sign Up from March 15 Through April 30, 2015   Washington, DC­­ – Today, the DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority (HBX) adopted a unanimous recommendation from its Standing Advisory Board to allow a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for District residents who may be subject to a...
According to the Washington Informer, medical bills are the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in America.​ Unexpected health costs can quickly add up. Health insurance is the best way to prepare for unforeseen medical expenses, and Obamacare has made shopping for an affordable, quality plan easier than ever before. The Affordable Care Act has made it easier for people to shop for private health coverage, to obtain financial assistance to help pay for private insurance, and to apply for Medicaid. Because of the Affordable Care Act, there are no out-of-pocket costs for most preventive...
12 Days of Tips with Jackie Ludden | Project Director for the RAMW/DC Health Link Partnership 12/8 How to prepare for Individual, Family and Small Business coverage by Jan 1, 2015? In order to prepare for January 1, 2015 coverage, individuals, families and small businesses will need to have all paperwork including census and plans chosen by no later than December 15, 2014. 12/9 Mobile Apps The DC Health Link mobile apps are free and available for Apple devices through the Apple App Store and Android devices through the Google Play store. Download towards better health...
DC Health Link, the District’s go-to online marketplace to shop for health insurance, will be offline this week to make updates to its portal. This upgrade comes in preparation for the start of open enrollment for individuals and families -  which will be November 15, 2014 through February 15, 2015.  Here are some changes you can expect to see on the site when DC Health Link goes back online this Friday, November 7: Automatic Renewal – DC Health Link will automatically renew individuals and families who enrolled in a health plan through the health exchange in 2014...
There are many elements that set small business owners apart from their corporate competitors. One of the most significant is the ability to provide affordable health coverage for employees to ensure they are happy and safe in the workplace. When shopping for health insurance, it’s important to ask the right questions to guarantee that you get the coverage that fits your needs. Here are a few FAQs about DC Health Link we have assembled specifically for small business owners like you. What payment methods are available to small business employers?...
Have you ever wished the right health care search tools could be right in the palm of your hand? Now, registering for health care has never been easier thanks to new DC Health Link mobile apps for iOS and Android devices.  DC Health Link is the premier marketplace for individuals, families and small business owners looking to shop and enroll in quality health insurance, and the apps provide a quick and savvy approach to finding key services for people on the go! Available services are also offered on DC Health Link’s website that include: finding an insurance broker,...
DC Health Link. Get the facts. Get covered.
As an integral part of the highly competitive hospitality industry, small business restaurant owners can look to DC Health Link as the leading option available for employer offered health insurance plans. Additionally, employees looking to enroll as individuals or with their families will find helpful tools with DC Health Link. Below are 10 things you should know about DC Health Link to get informed and prepared to sign up.  DC-based small business restaurants with 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) are eligible and encouraged to sign up for benefits through DC Health...
DC Health Link's Small Biz mobile app is the premier resource guide for small business owners looking to provide insurance to their employees, work with a broker to enroll in health coverage and determine if their company is eligible to enroll in DC Health Link's small biz health insurance marketplace. Download Apps  
WATCH: Nizam Ali of Ben's Chili Bowl talks about healthcare solutions for restaurants and small businesses. "It's not a business decision, it's just the right decision."  Video Link: Nizam, Ben's Chili Bowl
She's out there - the woman who has stolen your heart and makes your life better just because she's in it. It may be your mom, your sister, your wife or your girlfriend. It could be your daughter, your aunt, or your best friend. And this woman you love has an enemy more deadly than all forms of cancer. This woman you love is in a battle against heart disease and she may not even know it. Although long thought of as primarily a threat to men, according to the American Heart Association, heart disease is now the number one killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year.
 That's...
Although in FY 2014 Small businesses with 50 or fewer employees that are offering health coverage for the first time must purchase insurance through DC Health Link, all other small businesses have the option of purchasing health insurance coverage through DC Health Link, or direct from the insurance carriers. The plan designs and price of plans are the same. Purchasing through DC Health Link, however, provides a number of significant benefits, including: Access to the Small Business tax credit to help pay for employer coverage (up to 50% is available) Access to 267 different qualified...
Are you signing your business up for health care in DC? February 12 is the last day to pay for plans for March 1 plan effective date. February 24 is the last day to complete the employer application for the April 1 plan effective date. Moving forward to March, March 27 will be the last day to start employee open enrollment for April 1 plan effective date. March 12 will be the last day to pay for plans for April 1 plan effective date. Looking for expert help? Visit DC Health Link online and download DC Health Link's Small Business Guide to learn more about how you can provide quality,...
One hour.  Sixty minutes. 3,600 seconds.   Lunch break. Pilate’s class. An episode of The Bachelor (don’t pretend you don’t watch).   In one hour you can get a haircut or pedicure, take a nap, or ride the metro from Franconia-Springfield to Silver Spring. In sixty minutes you can bake a cake, write a letter, or (start to) work on your taxes. Or, in one hour you can save up to three lives.  That’s right.  For a simple one-hour investment you can make a life-giving difference to those in need.  January is National Volunteer Blood...
(Washington, DC) —The DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority today released new data showing strong enrollment activity through DCHealthLink.com, the District of Columbia’s new on-line health insurance marketplace for individuals, families and small businesses. Since the exchange opened for business on October 1, DC Health Link has enrolled 20,290 people. This includes District residents who enrolled in private health plans and in Medicaid, as well as people with coverage through their employers. “We are pleased to be providing quality, affordable health coverage options to...
The season of giving is quickly winding down.  Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Festivus – it’s likely you made your lists, checked them twice, and set out to secure gizmos, gadgets, thing-a-ma-jigs and whatcha-ma-call-its for those you know and love.  Gifts are tokens of appreciation designed to convey value and worth, but sometimes they fall a little short of that goal.  No doubt you have opened an ugly sweater, tacky tie, box of fruitcake, or other gift that has forced you to smile politely and remind yourself that it’s the thought...
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, November 13, 2013 Contact: Richard Sorian: 202-741-0903; richard.sorian@dc.gov Mahlori Isaacs: 202-741-0920; mahlori.isaacs2@dc.gov (Washington, DC) — The DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority today released new data showing strong interest by people and businesses in the District of Columbia in affordable quality health insurance. Between October 1 and November 13, DC Health Link had more than 84,272 unique visitors and 19,706 accounts were created to shop, compare, and choose a health insurance plan that meets ones needs and budgets. To date,...
Small business owners know their ability to offer employees high-quality health insurance is a competitive advantage in the labor market. DC Health Link is an online marketplace for individuals, families, and small business owners in the District of Columbia to help them shop, compare, and select health insurance. DC-based small businesses with 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) are be able to see all health insurance policies and prices and make choices to best meet their needs and budgets. Download the Small Business Guide

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