Not all 2013 health insurance news happened in the exchanges. Hancock produced unique and sophisticated looks at employer-sponsored coverage, which still provides most insurance for those under-65 and which was buffeted in its own way by the ACA and broader trends.
1) His March 15 piece, “Small Business Pursues Health Act ‘Loophole,’” showed how employers with healthy workforces are avoiding ACA taxes, pricing rules and other reforms in ways that will likely undermine Obamacare-compliant coverage.
2) The March 26 piece, “Temp Agencies See Opportunity In Health Law,” showed how agencies help employers outsource work and avoid potential health-coverage obligations.
3) The July 22 story, “Obamacare Delay A Relief For Family Business,” was one of several regional versions of a piece on small employers’ reaction to the delay in the employer mandate.
4) The Aug. 21 piece, “UPS Won’t Ensure Spouses of Some Employees” was a national scoop that prompted folos in the WSJ and NYT. In a development that helped prompt the “If you like your health plan…” conversation, UPS told 15,000 working spouses they would no longer be covered because they had access to insurance at their own employers — and it blamed the ACA.
5) The Sept. 23 story, “Swapping COBRA for Obamacare A Windfall for Big Business,” was an exclusive analysis on how corporations complaining about ACA taxes are likely to save billions because of the health law.