TGIF

OPM has posted additional FAQs about the data breach and the Washington Post provided more background here. The Post reports this afternoon that the OPM Inspector General has raised  with Congress“'serious concerns' about a proposed $91 million computer overhaul of OPM networks [to prevent future breaches], saying it had not followed management guidelines and relied on a no-bid contract to a single vendor."

Yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee cleared by a 30-20 vote the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill that funds the FEHBP. Here's a link to the Week in Congress which reports that the House approved several health care / benefits related bills this week.

In a spot of good news, Healthcare Informatics reports that American consumers are hungry for healthcare pricing information, and Fierce Healthpayer offers health plans a special report about the benefits and challenges of reference pricing, an approach the FEHBlog favors.

Buck Consultants offers employers and health plans a report on the latest Internal Revenue Service guidance about ACA reporting under IRC § 6055 and 6056 (IRS Forms 1095-B and 1095-C). Section 6055 reports, which health plans must submit, provides the IRS with information to support individual taxpayer claims about compliance with the ACA's individual shared responsibility mandate. Section 6056 reports, which applicable large employers much submit,provides the IRS with information about the compliance with the ACA's shared responsibility mandate.  These reports present a major, annual headache for health plans and employers.