text:
Burundi, officially the Republic of Burundi, is a small country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the south and east, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Although the country is landlocked, much of the southwestern border is adjacent to Lake Tanganyika.
The Twa, Tutsi, and Hutu tribes have occupied Burundi since the country's formation five centuries ago. Burundi was ruled as a kingdom by the Tutsi for over two hundred years. However, at the beginning of the twentieth century, Germany and Belgium occupied the region, and Burundi and Rwanda became a European colony known as Ruanda-Urundi. Political unrest occurred throughout the region because of social differences between the Tutsi and Hutu, provoking civil war in Burundi throughout the middle twentieth century. Presently, Burundi is governed as a presidential representative democratic republic. Sixty-two percent of Burundians are Roman Catholic, eight to ten percent are Muslims and the rest follow indigenous beliefs and other Christian denominations.
Burundi is one of the ten poorest countries in the world. Due to civil wars, Burundi has a low gross domestic product, unstable population growth, and sparse resources. Cobalt and copper are among Burundi's natural resources. Some of Burundi's main exports include coffee and sugar.
Burundi Profile
Location: Central Africa. Bordering nations--Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda.
Area: 27,830 sq. km. (10,747 sq. mi.); about the size of Maryland.
Cities: Capital--Bujumbura (pop. 300,000). Other cities--Cibitoke, Rumonge, Nyanza-Lac, Muyinga, Ngozi, Bubanza, Gitega.
Climate: Equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade (73 to 63 degrees Fahrenheit) but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m (5,600 ft.); average annual rainfall is about 150 cm (59 in.); two wet seasons (February to May and September to November), and two dry seasons (June to August and December to January).
Terrain: Hilly, rising from 780 meters (2,600 ft.) at the shore of Lake Tanganyika to mountains more than 2,700 meters (9,000 ft.) above sea level.
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Burundian(s).
Population (2009): 8,303,330.
Annual population growth rate (2009): 2.8%.
Ethnic groups: Hutu (Bantu) 85%; Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%; Twa (Pygmy) 1.0%.
Religions: Christian 80% (Roman Catholic 65%-70%, Protestant 10%-15%, indigenous beliefs, Muslim less than 5%.
Languages: Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area), English.
Education: Years compulsory--6. Attendance--84.05% male, 62.8% female. Literacy (2009)--66.6% of total population over the age of 15 can read and write.
Health (2009): Life expectancy--total population 50.9 years; male 49.4 years; female 52.4 years. Infant mortality rate--101.3/1,000.
Type: Republic.
Independence: July 1, 1962 (from Belgium).
Constitution: A transitional constitution was adopted October 18, 2001. The parliament adopted a post-transition constitution on September 17, 2004, which was approved in a nationwide referendum held February 28, 2005.
Branches: Executive--President, First Vice President in charge of political and administrative affairs, Second Vice President in charge of social and economic affairs, 21-member Council of Ministers. Legislative--bicameral parliament. A 100-member directly elected National Assembly plus additional deputies appointed as necessary to ensure an ethnic and gender composition of 60% Hutu, 40% Tutsi, 30% female, and 3 Batwa members. A 54-member Senate (3 seats reserved for former presidents; 3 seats reserved for the ethnic Twa minority; 2 Senators, one Hutu and one Tutsi, from each of the 16 provinces plus the city of Bujumbura appointed by an electoral college comprised of members of locally elected communal councils; women must comprise 30% of the Senate). Judicial--constitutional and subsidiary courts.
Administrative subdivisions: 17 provinces including Bujumbura, 129 communes.
Political parties: Multi-party system consisting of 44 registered political parties, of which CNDD- FDD (the National Council for the Defense of Democracy), FNL (the National Forces for Liberation), FRODEBU (the Front for Democracy in Burundi), and UPRONA (the National Unity and Progress Party) are national, mainstream parties. Other opposition parties include MSD (Movement for Solidarity and Democracy), CNDD (Council for the Defense of Democracy), PARENA (the Party for National Redress), and FRODEBU Nyakuri (a splinter of the mainstream FRODEBU that won important swing votes in the National Assembly in the 2010 elections).
Suffrage: Universal adult.
GDP (2009, World Bank): $1.325 billion.
Real growth rate (2009): 3.4%.
Per capita GDP (2009): $151.
Population below poverty line (2009): 70%.
Inflation rate (2009): 10.5%.
Central government budget (2010): Revenues--$588.5 million (internal and foreign grants); expenditures--$699.2 million, including capital expenditures.
Natural resources: Nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone.
Primary sector (2009 est.; 46% of GDP, of which agriculture is 45% of GDP): Coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca), beef, milk, hides. Arable land (2009 est.)--35.57%.
Secondary sector (2009 est.; 19% of GDP): Types--beverage production, coffee and tea processing, cigarette production, sugar refining, pharmaceuticals, light food processing, chemicals (insecticides), public works construction, consumer goods, assembly of imported components, light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap.
Services (2009 est.): 35% of GDP.
Mining: Commercial quantities of alluvial gold, nickel, phosphates, rare earth, vanadium and other; peat mining.
Trade (2009): Exports--$63.9 million f.o.b.: coffee (50% of export earnings), tea, sugar, cotton fabrics, hides. Major markets--U.K., Germany, Benelux, Switzerland. Imports--$402.3 million f.o.b.: food, beverages, tobacco, chemicals, road vehicles, petroleum products. Major suppliers--Benelux, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Japan.
Debt: In 2009, the country's debt was erased through the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Heavily Indebted Poor Countries mechanism.
Burundi People
At about 300 persons per sq. km., Burundi has the second-largest population density in Sub-Saharan Africa. Most people live on subsistence farms near areas of fertile volcanic soil. The population is made up of three major ethnic groups--Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa. Kirundi is the most widely spoken language; French and Kiswahili also are widely spoken. Intermarriage takes place frequently between the Hutus and Tutsis. Although Hutus encompass the majority of the population, historically Tutsis have been politically and economically dominant.
Burundi History
In the 16th century, Burundi was a kingdom characterized by a hierarchical political authority and tributary economic exchange. A king (mwani) headed a princely aristocracy (ganwa) that owned most of the land and required a tribute, or tax, from local farmers and herders. In the mid-18th century, this predominantly-Tutsi royalty consolidated authority over land, production, and distribution with the development of the ubugabire--a patron-client relationship in which the populace received royal protection in exchange for tribute and land tenure.
Although European explorers and missionaries made brief visits to the area as early as 1856, it was not until 1899 that Burundi came under German East African administration. In 1916 Belgian troops occupied the area. In 1923, the League of Nations mandated to Belgium the territory of Ruanda-Urundi, encompassing modern-day Rwanda and Burundi. The Belgians administered the territory through indirect rule, building on the Tutsi-dominated aristocratic hierarchy. Following World War II, Ruanda-Urundi became a United Nations Trust Territory under Belgian administrative authority. After 1948, Belgium permitted the emergence of competing political parties. Two political parties emerged: the Union for National Progress (UPRONA), a multi-ethnic party led by Tutsi Prince Louis Rwagasore and the Christian Democratic Party (PDC) supported by Belgium. In 1961, Prince Rwagasore was assassinated following an UPRONA victory in legislative elections.
Full independence was achieved on July 1, 1962. In the context of weak democratic institutions at independence, Ganwa King Mwambutsa IV established a constitutional monarchy comprising equal numbers of Hutus and Tutsis. The 1965 assassination of the Hutu prime minister set in motion a series of destabilizing Hutu revolts and subsequent governmental repression. In 1966, King Mwambutsa was deposed by his son, Prince Ntare IV, who himself was deposed the same year by a military coup led by Capt. Michel Micombero. Micombero abolished the monarchy and declared a republic, although a de facto military regime emerged. In 1972, an aborted Hutu rebellion triggered the flight of hundreds of thousands of Burundians. Civil unrest continued throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s.
In 1976, Col. Jean-Baptiste Bagaza took power in a bloodless coup. Although Bagaza led a Tutsi-dominated military regime, he encouraged land reform, electoral reform, and national reconciliation. In 1981, a new constitution was promulgated. In 1984, Bagaza was elected head of state, as the sole candidate. After his election, Bagaza's human rights record deteriorated as he suppressed religious activities and detained political opposition members.
In 1987, Maj. Pierre Buyoya overthrew Colonel Bagaza. He dissolved opposition parties, suspended the 1981 constitution, and instituted his ruling Military Committee for National Salvation (CSMN). During 1988, increasing tensions between the ruling Tutsis and the majority Hutus resulted in violent confrontations between the Tutsi-dominated army, the Hutu opposition, and Tutsi hardliners. During this period, an estimated 150,000 people were killed, with tens of thousands of refugees flowing to neighboring countries. Buyoya formed a commission to investigate the causes of the 1988 unrest and to develop a charter for democratic reform.
In 1991, Buyoya approved a constitution that provided for a president, multi-ethnic government, and a parliament. Burundi's first Hutu president, Melchior Ndadaye, of the Hutu-dominated FRODEBU Party, was elected in 1993. He was assassinated by factions of the Tutsi-dominated armed forces in October 1993. The country was then plunged into civil war, in which tens of thousands of people were killed and hundreds of thousands were displaced by the time the FRODEBU government regained control and elected Cyprien Ntaryamira president in January 1994. Nonetheless, the security situation continued to deteriorate. In April 1994, President Ntaryamira and Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana died in a plane crash. This act marked the beginning of the Rwandan genocide, while in Burundi the death of Ntaryamira exacerbated the violence and unrest. Sylvestre Ntibantunganya was installed as president for a 4-year term on April 8, but the security situation further deteriorated. The influx of hundreds of thousands of Rwandan refugees and the activities of armed Hutu and Tutsi groups further destabilized the regime.
Burundi's civil war officially ended in 2006 under a South Africa-brokered cease-fire agreement with the last of Burundi's rebel groups. In 2009, the PALIPEHUTU-FNL, the last rebel group, disarmed, demobilized and registered as a political party (the FNL), in accordance with the terms of the agreement. Today the government is focused on rebuilding its infrastructure and reestablishing external relations with its regional neighbors.
Burundi Politics
In November 1995, the presidents of Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) announced a regional initiative for a negotiated peace in Burundi facilitated by former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere. In July 1996, former Burundian President Buyoya returned to power in a bloodless coup. He declared himself president of a transitional republic, even as he suspended the National Assembly, banned opposition groups, and imposed a nationwide curfew. Widespread condemnation of the coup ensued, and regional countries imposed economic sanctions pending a return to a constitutional government. Buyoya agreed in 1996 to liberalize political parties. Nonetheless, fighting between the army and Hutu militias continued. In June 1998, Buyoya promulgated a transitional constitution and announced a partnership between the government and the opposition-led National Assembly. After Facilitator Julius Nyerere's death in October 1999, the regional leaders appointed Nelson Mandela as Facilitator of the Arusha peace process. Under Mandela the faltering peace process was revived, leading to the signing of the Arusha Accords in August 2000 by representatives of the principal Hutu (G-7) and Tutsi (G-10) political parties, the government, and the National Assembly. However, the FDD and FNL armed factions of the CNDD and Palipehutu G-7 parties refused to accept the Arusha Accords, and the armed rebellion continued.
In November 2001, a 3-year transitional government was established under the leadership of Pierre Buyoya (representing the G-10) as transitional president and Domitien Ndayizeye (representing the G-7) as transitional vice president for an initial period of 18 months. In May 2003, Ndayizeye assumed the presidency for 18 months with Alphonse Marie Kadege as vice president. In October and November 2003 the Burundian Government and the former rebel group the CNDD-FDD signed cease-fire and power-sharing agreements, and in March 2004 members of the CNDD-FDD took offices in the government and parliament. The World Bank and other bilateral donors provided financing for Burundi's disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration program for former rebel combatants.
National and regional mediation efforts failed to reach a compromise on post-transition power-sharing arrangements between the predominantly Hutu and Tutsi political parties, and in September 2004 over two-thirds of the parliament--despite a boycott by the Tutsi parties--approved a post-transition constitution. The Arusha Peace Agreement called for local and national elections to be held before the conclusion of the transitional period on October 31, 2004. On October 20, 2004, however, a joint session of the National Assembly and Senate adopted a previously approved draft constitution as an interim constitution that provided for an extension of transitional institutions until elections were held. On February 28, 2005, Burundians overwhelmingly approved a post-transitional constitution in a popular referendum, setting the stage for local and national elections. In April 2005, Burundi's transitional government was again extended and an electoral calendar was established at a regional summit held in Uganda.
In accordance with the new electoral calendar, the Burundian people voted for Communal Council members and National Assembly deputies through direct elections in June and July 2005. An electoral college of Communal Councils indirectly elected Senate members in July 2005. A joint session of the parliament elected Pierre Nkurunziza as President of Burundi on August 19, 2005 in a vote of 151 to 9 with one abstention, establishing the post-transition Hutu majority government. Finally, the Burundian people established Colline (hill) councils through direct elections in September 2005.
In September 2006, the last remaining rebel group in Burundi, the PALIPEHUTU-FNL, signed a peace agreement. Implementation obstacles and spurts of violence from the group slowed the process. In May 2008, the leaders of the PALIPEHUTU-FNL returned to Burundi to address the impasse and negotiate with the Government of Burundi. The two entities agreed upon a durable solution on December 4, 2008. In 2009, the PALIPEHUTU-FNL disarmed and demobilized in accordance with the terms of the agreement. Also in 2009, the FNL agreed to drop its ethnic derivative, "Palipehutu," and the government agreed to integrate the FNL into the Burundian political system by allowing it to register and act as a full-fledged political party.
With its Communal Council elections on May 26, 2010, Burundi launched the first of five elections in 2010. The direct election of Communal Council members was followed by a direct election for President on June 28, in which Pierre Nkurunziza ran uncontested, and direct elections for National Assembly deputies on July 23. Electoral colleges of Communal Council members in each province indirectly elected Senate members on July 28, 2010. Colline (hill) Council elections were held September 7, 2010. The 2010 elections were widely considered to be the culmination of the peace process and marked the first direct presidential elections since 1993.
Principal Government Officials
President--Pierre Nkurunziza
First Vice President--Therence Sinunguruza
Second Vice President--Gervais Rufyikiri
Speaker of the National Assembly--Pie Ntavyohanyuma
President of the Senate--Gabriel Ntisezerana
Minister of Defense--Pontien Gaciyubwenge
Minister of External Relations and Cooperation (Foreign Minister)--Laurent Kavakure
Minister of Interior--Edouard Nduwimana
Minister of Justice--Pascal Barandigye
Minister of Public Security--Gabriel Nizigama
Ambassador to the United States--Angele Niyuhire
Burundi maintains an embassy in the United States at Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20007 (tel. 202-342-2574).
Burundi Economy
Burundi's economy is based predominantly on agriculture, accounting for 45% of GDP in 2009. Agriculture supports more than 90% of the labor force, the majority of whom are subsistence farmers. Although Burundi is potentially self-sufficient in food production, the civil war, overpopulation, and soil erosion have contributed to the contraction of the subsistence economy by 30% in recent years. Large numbers of internally displaced persons have been unable to produce their own food and are dependent on international humanitarian assistance. Food imports accounted for 12.5% of total imports value in 2009.
The main cash crop is coffee, which accounted for 55.6% of exports in 2009. This dependence on coffee has increased Burundi's vulnerability to fluctuations in seasonal yields and international coffee prices. Coffee processing is the largest state-owned enterprise in terms of income. Although the government has tried to attract private investment to this sector, only a small number (12) of the 120 washing stations were sold to a foreign private company. Efforts to privatize other publicly held enterprises have likewise stalled. Other principal exports include tea and raw cotton.
Little industry exists except the processing of agricultural exports. There is potential wealth in petroleum, nickel, copper, gold, and other natural resources; however, these resources are not being exploited. Former studies reported evidence of offshore petroleum deposits in Lake Tanganyika as well as in the plain of Rusizi, although the uncertain security situation had prevented meaningful investor interest. Despite an improvement in the security situation, the lack of adequate infrastructure--transportation and energy--has limited industrial development, which is hampered by Burundi's distance from the sea and high transport costs. Lake Tanganyika remains an important regional trading point.
Burundi is heavily dependent on bilateral and multilateral aid. International Monetary Fund (IMF) structural adjustment programs in Burundi were suspended following the outbreak of violence in 1993; the IMF re-engaged Burundi in 2002 and 2003 with post-conflict credits, and in 2004 approved a $104 million Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility loan. In preparing a transition support strategy, the World Bank identified key areas for potential growth, including the productivity of traditional crops and the introduction of new exports, light manufactures, industrial mining, and services. Both the IMF and the World Bank assisted the Burundians in preparing a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, released in February 2007. More than 70% of Burundians live below the poverty line. Serious economic problems include the state's role in the economy and the question of governmental transparency, and debt reduction. In January 2009, the IMF and the World Bank decided that Burundi satisfied the requirements toward reaching its completion point under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC) and waived $424 million in debt.
Based on Burundi's successful transition from war to peace and the establishment of a democratically-elected government in Burundi in September 2005, the U.S. Government lifted all sanctions on assistance to Burundi on October 18, 2005. Burundi also became eligible for trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) in December 2005, but no Burundian industries have yet taken advantage of AGOA benefits. Burundi joined the East Africa Community in 2007.
Burundi Foreign Relations
Burundi's relations with its neighbors have often been affected by security concerns. The Great Lakes is home to a number of illegal armed groups. Hundreds of thousands of Burundian refugees have at various times crossed into Rwanda, Tanzania, and Democratic Republic of the Congo. These Burundians fled to neighboring countries during the civil war, hundreds of thousands of whom sought refuge in Tanzania. Most refugees have returned or opted to settle permanently in countries of asylum. Burundi maintains close relations with all neighbors in the Great Lakes region, including Rwanda, Uganda, and Democratic Republic of the Congo. In reaffirming Burundi's commitment to regional peacekeeping and allegiance to the African Union, the government recently deployed troops to participate in the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) peacekeeping operation.
Burundi is a member of various international and regional organizations, including the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the African Union, the African Development Bank, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the free-tariff zone of eastern and southern Africa, and the East Africa Community (EAC).
Burundi Additionalal Political Information
U.S. Government goals in Burundi are to help the people of Burundi realize a just and lasting peace based upon democratic principles and sustainable economic development. The United States encourages political stability, ongoing democratic reforms, political openness, respect for human rights, and economic development. In the long term, the United States seeks to strengthen the process of internal reconciliation and democratization within all the states of the region to promote a stable, democratic community of nations that will work toward mutual social, economic, and security interests on the continent. As the situation in Burundi normalizes, the United States seeks to facilitate its integration into regional and international markets, as a means to promote sustainable economic development.
Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador--Pamela J. Slutz
Deputy Chief of Mission--Samuel R. Watson
Political Officer--Kim Jordan
Economic Officer--Catherine McFarland
Consular Officer--Patrick Gann
Public Affairs Officer--Anita Doll
Regional Security Officer--Yvon Guillaume
General Services Officer--Johnathan Winston
The U.S. Embassy is located at Avenue des Etats-Unis (Boite Postale 1720), Bujumbura (tel. [257] 222234-54).
|1. iProvense ya Makamba
2. iProvense ya Bururi
3. iProvense ya Muramvya
4. iProvense ya Gitega
5. iProvense ya Ruyigi
6. iProvense ya Cankuzo
|7. iProvense ya Karuzi
8. iProvense ya Bubanza
9. iProvense ya Cibitoke
10. iProvense ya Ngozi
11. iProvense ya Kayanza
12. iProvense ya Muyinga
|13. iProvense ya Kirundo
14. iProvense ya Rutana
15. Province de Mwaro
16. Bujumbura Mairie
17. Bujumbura Rural
|1. Bujumbura 331,700
2. Muyinga 71,076
3. Ruyigi 38,458
4. Gitega 23,167
5. Ngozi 21,506
6. Rutana 20,893
|7. Bururi 19,740
8. Makamba 19,642
9. Kayanza 19,443
10. Muramvya 18,041
11. Cibitoke 14,220
12. Bubanza 12,728
|13. Karuzi 10,705
14. Cankuzo 6,585
15. Kirundo 6,083
16. Rumonge 6,074
17. Mwaro 4,924


text:
Erika Lincoln: The Singing Condition
Car horns. Mobile phone rings. Traffic crossing signals. The tweets and chirps of urban birds sound very different than those of their country cousins. These sounds facilitate and in some ways control humans as we move and find our way through the city. This led Winnipeg electronic media artist Erika Lincoln to consider what the effects of these communication sounds, that are used solely by humans, have on animals living in our shared environment. The answer was not far off. While observing a flock of European Starlings that regularly visit the back lane of her home she noticed that the birds have incorporated the electronic sounds of life in the city into their repertoire of songs creating a hybird call of sorts.
She furthered her examination by focusing on the adaptive behaviours of urban birds. In addition to the sounds, she noticed how some birds collect discarded human-made materials and incorporate them into their nests or utilize built structures as their roosting sites. Lincoln became fascinated by how the by-products of the human technological culture were intersecting with the natural everyday "normal" existence of birds. This research has culminated in four new works which are premiered here at the WAG.
The two central pieces are Singing Condition I & II. Part I consists of a flock of mechanical birds which produce sounds based on their moving parts. Each bird opens and closes its beak, "singing" to the others by the action of a motor randomly levering their beaks. Part II features a mechanism that spins nests based on movements made by visitors in the exhibition space. Each nest incorporates plastics, yarns, and bits of metal, mimicking Lincoln's own observations of birds using different types of man-made materials to build their nests. A set of nests will be created over the run of the exhibition and displayed in the space, providing a visual trace of visitors' involvement.
The Winnipeg Art Gallery acknowledges the support of Long & McQuade, Solarbotics, and Tip Top Electronic Supply.
Click here for an interview with Erika Lincoln by Stacey Abramson, Winnipeg Free Press.
Related Programs & Events
Past Programs & Events
Art for Lunch - The Ins and Outs of Electronic Media Art
Wednesday, March 23, 2011 from 12:10pm to 1pm
Public Openings
Free public opening of Erika Lincoln: The Singing Condition and Bestial Encounters.
Thursday, March 31, 2011 from 7pm to 10pm
Art for Lunch - Exhibition Tour
Discover interative robotic birds and the effects of our urban environment on this guided tour of the exhibition Erika Lincoln: The Singing Condition with Mary Reid, Curator of Contemporary Art and Photography.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011 from 12:10pm to 1pm
Meet Artist Erika Lincoln
Join Winnipeg artist Erika Linoln for a discussion of her interactive exhibition The Singing Condition and learn how urban birds have adapted to life in the city.
Thursday, April 28, 2011 from 7pm to 8pm
Gallery Hours
- Tuesday 11am-5pm
- Wednesday 11am-5pm
- Thursday 11am-5pm
- Friday 11am-9pm
- Saturday 11am-5pm
- Sunday 11am-5pm
- Closed Monday

subset: commoncrawl


text:
"Mark Taylor—a deeply original scholar and nationally celebrated teacher—sees American higher education as a bubble about to burst. For your students' sake, your teachers' sake, your childrens' sake, and your country's sake, read this book while there is still time."
-Jack Miles
"Sure to provoke heated debate, this book convincingly tells us what we don't want to hear: our colleges and universities are no longer sustainable—either financially or programmatically. Mark Taylor provocatively calls for big changes, both in how we use technology to help deliver educational services and in the role of professors. We should pay attention, or we will pay an enormous price."
-Joel Klein, Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education
"One of the jobs of a public intellectual is to warn us when he sees a fast-approaching freight train bearing down on us. In Crisis on Campus, Mark Taylor does that and much more. He offers specific and often radical suggestions about how to make higher education more fulfilling for students and more relevant to the networked world of the 21st century."
-Bill Bradley
"This is a book that needed to be written and one that must be read. Mark Taylor not only reveals an unclothed emperor; he also provides guidance to those of us who would properly serve as weavers. The only thing better than reading this book would be to have written it."
-E. Gordon Gee, President of the Ohio State University
"Feisty . . . Measured in tone but devastating."
-Christopher Shea, The New York Times Book Review
"Provocative . . . Cogent . . . Taylor has written a manifesto informed by his experience and dedication to innovative higher education, and he has pointed us to fundamental problems that must be addressed. We should be grateful."
-Michael S. Roth, The Los Angeles Times
"At heart, Taylor has an old-fashioned sense of what it takes for students to become good writers and good thinkers: for starters, a lot of practice at writing and thinking . . . Technology can't make a better curriculum: that will have to come from reformers who, like Taylor, have not forgotten the value of good thinking, good writing and a well-argued essay."
-Naomi Schaefer Riley, The Wall Street Journal
"Taylor demonstrates an exuberant willingness to take on academic conventions . . . His innovative proposals will generate thoughtful, occasionally angry responses from academic leaders and interested laypeople alike. Serious, challenging, and well-written."
-Library Journal
"Taylor's tone is neither whimsical nor utopian . . . He writes with urgency and conviction . . . Highly provocative and certain to stimulate."
"His radical proposals notwithstanding, Taylor's dedication to scholarship and his concern for students is profound."
-Publishers Weekly
"Taylor argues passionately for more open ideas on what is valuable to learn, in what format and through what methods, for a generation raised on the Internet and iPods."


text:
E-mail list
New record prime (GIMPS): 282,589,933-1 with 24,862,048 digits by P. Laroche, G. Woltman, A. Blosser, et al. (7 Dec 2018).
|The Largest Known Primes Database
|The "Guinness book" of prime number records! Includes the 5000 largest known primes and smaller ones of selected forms (one-page summary) updated daily!
|Lists of Primes
|The first 1,000 primes. The first 50,000,000 primes. Top 20 records (e.g., twin primes, Mersenne primes...) Lists of 300 digit primes. And much more!
|Finding primes, proving primality
|Explains the mathematical theory behind how these record primes are found.
|How many are there?
|Infinity, but How Big of an Infinity?
|The Largest Known Prime by Year: A Brief History
|Discusses how big have the largest known primes been historically (and uses that to predict how big they will be)!
- Conjectures and Open Problems
- A short list of conjectures and open problems relating to primes.
- The Riemann Hypothesis
- One of the most important conjectures in prime number theory. When (and if) it is proven, many of the bounds on prime estimates can be improved and primality proving can be simplified.
- Prime Curios!
- "Prime Curios!" is an exciting collection of curiosities, wonders and trivia related to prime numbers.
- Prime Glossary
- Definition of terms related to prime numbers and primality.
- Check a Number's Primality
- A simple routine to check most small numbers for primality.
- Important Discovery: "Primes in P"
- Primality can be tested in deterministic polynomial time--this is of great theoretical value; but of questionable practical value.


text:
White House
Obama: Troop move to Mexican border under consideration
WASHINGTON — President Obama weighed in Wednesday on the escalating drug war on the U.S.-Mexico border, saying that he was looking at possibly deploying National Guard troops to contain the violence but ruled out any immediate military move.
"We're going to examine whether and if National Guard deployments would make sense and under what circumstances they would make sense," Obama said during an interview with journalists for regional papers, including a McClatchy reporter.
"I don't have a particular tipping point in mind," he said. "I think it's unacceptable if you've got drug gangs crossing our borders and killing U.S. citizens."
Already this year there have been 1,000 people killed in Mexico along the border, following 2008's death toll of 5,800, according to federal officials who credit Mexican President Felipe Calderon for a crackdown on drug cartels.
But the spillover on the border -- for example, to El Paso from neighboring Ciudad Juarez -- has created a political reaction.
In a recent visit to El Paso, Texas Gov. Rick Perry called for 1,000 troops to protect the border.
Obama was cautious, however. "We've got a very big border with Mexico," he said. "I'm not interested in militarizing the border."
The president praised Calderon, "who I believe is really working hard and taking some extraordinary risks under extraordinary pressure to deal with the drug cartels and the corresponding violence that's erupted along the borders."
Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif., chair of a key subcommittee on border security, will hold a hearing Thursday on Mexican border violence.
"Last week Mexico sent an additional 3,200 soldiers to the border," Sanchez said in a prepared opening statement for the hearing, "increasing the total number of Mexican soldiers combating drug cartels to more than 45,000."
Sanchez chairs the House Committee on Homeland Security's subcommittee on border, maritime and global counterterrorism.
"It should be noted that over 200 U.S. citizens have been killed in this drug war, either because they were involved in the cartels or were innocent bystanders," she said. "With those concerns in mind, it is essential that the Department of Homeland Security, along with other relevant departments, continue to pursue a contingency plan to address 'spillover' violence along our border."
At a hearing this week, Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, who visited Mexico last month as part of a congressional delegation tour, praised the so-called Merida Initiative -- a drug cartel fighting agreement between the U.S. and Mexico that provides Mexico with $1.4 billion to control drug trafficking.
"From helicopters and surveillance planes to non-intrusive inspection equipment, the U.S. investment is intended to provide the hardware necessary for the Mexican government to extend its authority to those remote and hard-to-access parts of the country ravaged by the drug trade," said Granger.
That agreement between Calderon and President George W. Bush will be updated, Obama said.
"We expect to have a comprehensive approach to dealing with these issues of border security that will involve supporting Calderon and his efforts in a partnership, also making sure we are dealing with the flow of drug money and guns south, because it's really a two-way situation there," said Obama.
"The drugs are coming north, we're sending funds and guns south," he said. "As a consequence, these cartels have gained extraordinary power. Our expectation is to have a comprehensive policy in place in the next few months."
(David Goldstein of the Kansas City Star contributed.)
Obama: Moving Guantanamo inmates won't harm U.S. communities
Fears grow Iraq violence will doom Obama's Afghan plan
Scientists harness anti-matter, ordinary matter's 'evil twin'
Ejected from Darfur, aid workers fear for people there
Texas tale: Raw emotion as double killer is put to death
McClatchy-Ipsos poll: How's Limbaugh do against Obama?


text:
Difference between revisions of "Deluge"
m (Remove empty space.)
Zombielinux (talk | contribs)
|Line 79:
|Line 79:
In the modules section add:
In the modules section add:
LoadModule proxy_html_module modules/mod_proxy_html.so
LoadModule proxy_html_module modules/mod_proxy_html.so
Revision as of 14:15, 19 October 2012
Deluge is a full-featured BitTorrent client for Linux, OS X, Unix and Windows. It uses libtorrent in its backend and features multiple user-interfaces including: GTK+, web and console. It has been designed using the client server model with a daemon process that handles all the bittorrent activity. The Deluge daemon is able to run on headless machines with the user-interfaces being able to connect remotely from any platform. Deluge is not designed for any one desktop environment and will work just fine in GNOME, KDE, XFCE and others. Deluge is Free Software and is licensed under the GNU General Public License.
Install deluge from the official repositories.
If you want to run Deluge as user just run:
# deluge -u [gtk|web|console]
Please note, deluge works perfectly fine without its daemon running. The default user for the Deluge daemon, is deluge, which is created upon package installation. You can change this in
/etc/conf.d/deluged. Of course, the user needs to exist.
The rest of this guide will assume you use the default deluge user. This is that user's default home directory and therefore its configuration location is in
/srv/deluge. This should be fine under most circumstances. Note that this is NOT the default download location, it only holds its configuration and ssl certificates. You will be able to change all other options later on once you get a client working.
Next, start the daemon to generate its default configuration in its home directory:
Graphical Clients
The GTK UI needs to have pygtk and librsvg installed on the clients. If the deluge daemon is running stop it.
In order to connect remotely via the GTK UI, there should be something like this in
"allow_remote": true,
Now add yourself to the authentification file:
# echo "yourusername:yourpassword:10" >> /srv/deluge/.config/deluge/auth
The authentification level is not used at this time. Read more about that.
Start the Deluge daemon again.
Now start the GTK UI. If you prefer, you can edit the preferences in
~/.config/deluge/gtkui.conf, but there's also a nice configuration tool in the UI.
Look for classic mode and disable it. Then go to Edit -> Connection Manager and add your daemon.
Web UI
The web UI daemon runs on the server and the clients only need a web browser. You need to install python2-mako on the server.
First, start the web UI daemon, named deluge-web, and login at
http://ip-address:8112. Where ip-address is the name of your Deluge server or its private or public IP address. When asked for a password, enter "deluge" as it is the default password.
The preferences in the web UI should be rather self explanatory and the first obvious thing to do is to change your password.
Automatically Connect To Daemon
If you want to avoid clicking "connect" everytime you start the Deluge web UI, edit the
web.conf file in your configuration directory (usually
It should have a line like this towards the bottom:
"default_daemon": ""
Change it to:
"default_daemon": "127.0.0.1:58846"
This assumes that your Deluge port is the default 58846.
In case you want SSL for the web UI, you need to generate a new cert/key set. To do this, first stop the web UI daemon and then append to
# openssl req -new -x509 -nodes -out deluge.cert.pem -keyout deluge.key.pem
Next you need to edit
/srv/deluge/.config/deluge/web.conf and change the pkey and cert configuration directives to use your new self-signed certificates and also enable SSL:
... "pkey": "ssl/deluge.key.pem", ... "cert": "ssl/deluge.cert.pem", ... "https": true,
Afterwards just start the web UI daemon again.
Apache configuration
As of this writing, it is possible to use ProxyPass and ProxyPassReverse with Apache to run your Deluge web UI with a web server. To do so, install mod_proxy_htmlAUR from the AUR. Then add the following lines to your
In the modules section add:
LoadFile /usr/lib/libxml2.so LoadModule proxy_html_module modules/mod_proxy_html.so
At the end of the file, in the Supplemental Configuration section, add the following two lines:
# Custom proxy html configuration Include conf/extra/httpd-proxy-html.conf
Also uncomment the Virtual Hosts line:
Include conf/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf
That is all the editing that needs to be done for the
httpd.conf. Next, navigate to the
extra/ folder and edit the
httpd-vhosts.conf file. Append to the file, the following:
<VirtualHost *:80> Servername dmz ProxyRequests off ProxyHTMLExtended on ProxyPass /deluge http://127.0.0.1:8112/ ProxyHTMLURLMap http://127.0.0.1:8112 /deluge Header unset Server <location /deluge> ProxyPassReverse / ProxyPassReverseCookiePath / /deluge/ SetOutputFilter INFLATE;proxy-html;DEFLATE ProxyHTMLURLMap / /deluge/ ec
ProxyHTMLURLMap /deluge /deluge ec
ProxyHTMLURLMap ([^*])(\/[^*].*) $1/deluge$2 hRxL #ProxyHTMLLogVerbose On Order allow,deny Allow from all </Location> </VirtualHost>
See http://blog.stoked-security.com/2011/03/deluge-bittorrent-webui-behind-reverse.html for the source and more information.
Web UI doesn't store settings
For some yet unknown reason, the web interface with Deluge 1.3.3 refuses to properly store the incoming (listen) ports configuration. This can manually be edited in core.conf. The Deluge bugtracker mentions this is fixed, it is not in 1.3.3.
... "enc_prefer_rc4": true, "listen_ports": [ 49160, 49249 ], "dht": false, ...


text:
"Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this son of York" says Shakespeare's Richard III in the opening scene of the play by the same name. He's also the king crying "A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!" just before the final battle. Alas, no horse appeared and he was summarily 'de-crowned', so to speak, done to death by sharp blows to the head, as his skull plainly shows. Mind you, this is THE Richard the Third, news of whose recently exhumed skeleton just broke upon our 21st century heads. Scientists knew it was Richard; DNA testing doesn't lie. Also, here, before our eyes is that famously twisted spine, though it's clear now he had scoliosis and not the humped back legend gives him. I have been thinking of him recently because he reminds me a little of all of us with his grousing about winters and discontents. I mean, could we do any MORE whining in this season when the earth lies dormant? A shopkeeper I am beginning to know tells me she is amazed at how much people complain about things. "It's so cold!" they say the second they step into her shop. Or, "Where's the SUN?!" Or, "Do you believe all this SNOW?!" And then it's a good bet they start in listing their maladies. I think we all do it: whine, I mean. I practically make a living doing it, in the blog I write. The word 'blog' comes from shoehorning the term 'web' right in close against the word 'log', as in the journal a ship's captain keeps. Because I too see a blog a kind of public journal, I 'post' on a near-daily basis. Hence the evidence is right there, eternally and undeniably: I too am a whiner. This past month I whined about it all: How my husband David caught the flu because, unlike me, HE hadn't had the sense to get a flu shot. How the awful cough he had caused him to lie beside me nights for two full weeks, spraying fountains of bacteria into the air with the regularity of Old Faithful. I went on. I told about how I then caught the cough and began sending similar germ-plumes into the air over our bed for the next two weeks. I also whined about how I couldn't get back from a recent trip away because of the blizzard Nemo, going on and on about how hard that was, even though I was in sunny Arizona. I whined about having to wait for 12 hours all alone in the airport before the two 'red-eye' flights I spent pinned against the wall of the cabin, first by a ponytailed giant whose wide-load of a belly pressed upon my arm for two hours; and then by a pair of men who slept like the dead for five-and-half of the six-hour flight while I could only fantasize about visits to the bathroom at the back of the plane. When you start in whining it seems it is hard to stop. Anyway when I got home after this week away and realized that I still felt crummy, I finally made an appointment at the Urgent Care clinic. The very first thing the professionals there did, after hearing my story? They slapped a facemask over my nose and mouth and told me to keep it on 'til I left the hospital. It was a facemask, yes, but I knew what else it was: It was a muzzle, and by then it was just what I needed. Write Terry firstname.lastname@example.com
or care of Ravenscroft Press PO 270 Winchester MA 01890. Google "Terry Marotta", "Exit Only" and the word "Contagion" to see pictures of her, gagged, at the clinic.


text:
We're thinking the expression "it takes two" is totally true when in comes to Duets. This one-of-a-kind singing competition takes the singing Superstars out from behind the judges' table and onto the stage! Hey, that 's where we love to see them most anyway, isn't it?
Superstars Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles and Robin Thicke individually set out on a journey across America looking for undiscovered talent worthy to be their protégés. Ultimately, each Superstar will choose two singers to be their duet partners. Together, the Superstar and their protégé will take the stage each week and perform in front of a live studio audience.
In the end, only one duet will be at the top of the charts and the winning amateur will receive a recording contract with Hollywood Records. TV personality Quddus, best known from his days as the host of MTV's Total Request Live, hosts this groundbreaking new singing series.


text:
ผมจะสรุปสั้นๆนะครับ จากทาง Si ได้ออกมาบอกว่า เขาจะออก เดโมมาเป็น 2 แบบ คือ สตอรเบอรรี่ จะเป็น Link โหลดแบบ Steam เท่านั้น ในวันพฤหัสที่ 21 ตค ตามบ้านเรา และ วนิลา แบบ ทอเร้น และlink ตรง ในวันที่ศุกร์ที่ 22 ตค
This demo version normally comes out 2 weeks before release, so by rights, it should be out this Friday then, right? Well, yes, it will be released on Friday, but MirrorFootball readers will be able to get it a day earlier, on Thursday 21st October.
Default Football Manager 2011 demo information
Over the weekend, Football Manager 2011 on PC & Mac went "gold" on 5 of the 8 versions of the disc that are due to be manufactured, with the other 3 discs turning up later today.
That means that work has now started on the demo, and I can now reveal when it will be released.
We are releasing the demo this year in 2 phases, with strawberry on Thursday (Steam only) and vanilla and strawberry torrent & direct download on Friday.
There are many reasons that we've decided to release the demo in this way this year. We basically don't have enough time to get all the different versions built and tested by Wednesday night, so had to decide whether to release them all on Friday, or split them.
So last week, SEGA's global marketing teams started talking to various possible partners to release the demo that would mean that everyone who wanted to get the strawberry demo on Thursday could do completely for free without breaking SIgames.com & FM.com (as happens every year), and those that were more patient, or didn't want to use Steam for whatever reason, could still get the demo on what was the originally planned date of 2 weeks before release.
As mentioned above, the only other option was to delay all of the releases.
Our partners for the demo will be MirrorFootball in the UK, Marca in Spain, Veikkaaja in Finland and L'Equipe in France, but that does not mean that customers in other countries will be unable to get the demo. We will of course provide information at SIgames.com and footballmanager.com as soon as the demo is available so that any customer in the world is able to download the demo via Steam as soon as it goes live.
The demo will have 12 playable leagues – England, Scotland, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and is available in all languages.
At some point on Friday 22nd, we'll make the demo available for direct download and torrent, and a vanilla version of the demo, which will feature just the English and Scottish leagues.
I know one of the first question I'll be asked it "why choose to go with Steam first, rather than one of the others?".
Now that it's a PC and Mac distribution platform, everyone can get it via the system, it provides great download speeds, it will once again be one of the two options for installation for the boxed game (with lots of benefits, which I'll be blogging about in the next couple of weeks) and is a system most of us here use without issue.
I've seen some posts on the forums that unfairly castigate Steam, such as blaming it for the activation issues regarding FM2009, which were nothing to do with Steam, but were caused by a denial of service attack on Uniloc's servers, or blaming a bug in the game on Steam – a bug in the game is a bug in the game, and nothing to do with Steam at all.
Hopefully that answers that question.
As mentioned above, the links to the demo should be available here from Thursday morning – I would advise that if you're looking to grab it quickly, that you download the Steam client in advance, which is available at www.steampowered.com, and then you'll be just a couple of button clicks away from being able to grab it.
Credit : Red_Bull www.fm-mania.com


text: Only women with massive juggs could be on Big Tits Clips. They all look so great and there are a lot of naughty thoughts in heads of these ladies that they are going to make to become reality for you! Just better forget about other things for a while right now and start fooling around with these ladies who are ready to do their maximum to bring you at cloud seven. They are fond of demonstration their miracles as well as giving titjobs and feeling big cocks stuffing their sweet soaked wet loving holes.


text:
Photo By: BAMO
Photo By: Home Depot
Photo By: Stephanie Diani / Getty Images
Photo By: Anita Lang
Photo By: Bryan Sebring
Photo By: Pure Design Interiors
Photo By: Vance Fox, Microsoft Windows Photo Viewer 6.1.7600.16385
Photo By: Chipper Hatter Photography
Photo By: Sarah Wittenbraker
Photo By: Scott Shigley
Photo By: Fine Focus Photography
Photo By: Brown Design Group
Photo By: Braun + Adams
Photo By: Tony Soluri
Photo By: Eric Lucero Photography
Romantic Venetian Garden Vignette with Antique Daybed, Chair and Table
Designer Pamela Babey with BAMO created a vignette for the 2017 San Francisco Fall Art & Antiques Show styled after a romantic Venetian garden, set in the morning after a lavish party. The space included a custom-designed de Gournay wallpaper. A silk throw from Maison Tenn20 is on a Danish painted daybed. The Aubusson tapestry billowing over the table and onto the ground is through Peter Pap.
Visit Original Photo
Green and White Traditional Bedroom With Padded Bed Frame
This master bedroom is an oasis of creams and seafoam green. The upholstered wall is lit from a hidden soffit above, and the fabric matches the duvet cover. The trim on the edge of the upholstered wall is implemented in the Roman shade. The soft calming colors along with a padded headboard and footboard truly create an escape from the rest of the world.
Compact Growing
This small space garden bed is surprisingly affordable and offers a generous growing space for a gardener who has a green thumb but not enough room to grow. City Pickers Patio Raised Garden Bed, $29.97
Antique Bench
Warm wood accents like this antique bench pop against the bright white paint of the fireplace, as seen on Fixer Upper.
Fresh, White Kitchen
The new Blount kitchen is open to the dining room which flows into the living room creating an open, airy space. White cabinetry and countertops create a bright cooking space, as seen on Fixer Upper.
After: Living Room With Turquoise Accents
Turquoise accents in the stairwell and original paintings by David Bromstad in the kitchen create a cohesive color story between the two spaces.
Contemporary Bedroom With Deep Blue Accent Wall
A clean-lined four poster bed with a coordinating nightstand creates a contemporary look in this bedroom. A textured royal blue accent wall provides a beautiful backdrop, lending depth and interest to the space.
Flip or Flop: Unique Use of Space in White Modern Kitchen
As seen on HGTV's Flip or Flop, an extra long countertop is a creative way to make the most of the space in this bright white, modern kitchen. Hardwood floors extend into the living room pulling the separate spaces together.
Spacious, Fully Equipped Island in Contemporary Kitchen
Since the perimeter cabinets in this contemporary kitchen stretch from the floor to the ceiling, the island — which is is fully equipped with a sink, cooktop and vent hood — serves as the prep station.
Modern Widespread Faucet Complements Modern Bathroom
The close-up, side view of this Pure Design Interiors bathroom countertop shows the modern, minimalist style of the space. The modern chrome faucet, with its rounded center water spout, harmonizes nicely with the gray and white marble countertop of the vanity, while the small accessory objects to the left of the faucet give the space an earthy, natural touch.
Contemporary Back Porch Is Cozy, Stylish
Sleek rocking chairs, boxy armchairs and a clean-lined sofa pair with a large fire pit for a cozy yet contemporary feel on this back porch. Large sliding glass doors allow outdoor-indoor functionality.
Gray Coastal Dining Room With Wicker Chairs
Wicker chairs are a compelling combination with the white, coral-like light fixture in this dining room. The pale gray walls help the textures and crisp contrast leap out into the center of the space.
Eclectic Living Space Is Relaxed, Stylish
A family of five needed a relaxed yet beautiful living space using items they already owned and wanted to incorporate into the overall design. Designer Sarah Wittenbraker created this stunning living room doing just that; she achieved a stylish, eclectic design by mixing furniture pieces of contrasting styles.
Dining Room with Timeless Chandelier
This dining room is a a serene and sophisticated space that has a wonderful view of the outside greenery. The chandelier in the dining room adds a timeless elegance to the space.
Contemporary Italian Farmhouse Kitchen
This Austin, Texas, kitchen features warm colors and dark cabinetry that call back to the traditional, rustic feel of an Italian farmhouse. Wood beams criss-cross the ceiling, while broad, modern windows bring in loads of light.
Eclectic Dining Room With Banquette and Pendant Lights
Unique pendant lights hang from the ceiling of this eclectic dining room. The long wooden table is adorned with a banquette on one side and black chairs on the other side.
White Transitional Foyer With Pink Rug
A pink rug brings cheery energy to the foyer where the original elaborate stair railing was switched out for one with clean, simple lines. The result is a space that feel fresh and bright.
His Master Bathroom
The master bathroom for him feels like a day at the spa. A gray and white marbled sink and walls are luxurious details that contribute to the spa-like feel. The shower features the same marble walls with a bench seat for added relaxation.
Vibrant, Purple Dining Space
This colorful, sophisticated dining room features a stunning jeweled chandelier, a gold-toned dining table with purple cushioned chairs and window treatments in the same color palette.


text:
Knowledgebase: NE1™ Web Builder > Templates
Importing Templates
Posted by , Last modified by Debbie Serrano on 27 June 2013 02:59 PM
Importing a Template:From time to time you may want to change the appearance of your website. There are also times when you may have a need to use more than one template for your site. Perhaps a page has a specific theme to it that would benefit from a different template or you want to choose a template specific to a certain season or holiday. If so, this is possible by importing new templates. One of the nice things about the NE1 Web Builder is that you can complete change the layout of your website by simply changing a template. So, you don't have to completely redesign your site.
To import a template click the "Layout Design" menu button.
The Layout Design page sets the major parameters for the design of your site. It also allows you to import or delete a template.
Click the "Import Now" button to import a new template for use with your existing template. To delete a template, click the dropdown box to choose the template to be deleted. Click the "Delete" button to delete the template.
*Note: Templates do count against your disk space, so if you aren't using them, it would be wise to delete them.


text:
The Egg of Avion bestows the Bird People their power of flight, and without it, they cannot fly. If one is away from Avion for a vast length of time they will lose the power of flight. Skeletor desires the power held within the egg believing that with it in his possession he can gain the ability to fly.
MOTU Filmation Cartoon Appearances:
MVCreations – Comic Appearances:


text:
2010 - U.S. health care reform begins with several consumer-focused provisions
- Grandfathered plans
The PPACA includes a provision that considers health plans that existed on March 23, 2010, as "grandfathered." Grandfathered plans are not required to comply with some of the PPACA provisions. Grandfathered plans can make routine changes to plan designs without losing grandfathered status. However, plans will lose their grandfathered status if they make changes that significantly cut benefits, increase out-of-pocket spending for individuals or reduce the employer contribution toward the cost of the plan.
A November 2010 amendment allows employers to keep grandfathered status if:
- An insured plan changes insurance policies (to a new carrier) and the new policy was effective on or after November 17, 2010
- A self insured plan changes to an insured plan and the policy was effective on or after November 17, 2010
- Early Retiree Reinsurance Program
The federal program will pay employers for part of the cost of health benefits they pay for retired employees age 55 and over, their spouses, surviving spouses and dependents. The program started June 1, 2010 and ends January 1, 2014 or when its $5 billion budget is used.
The Early Retiree Reinsurance Program refunds employers for up to 80 percent of claims that cost between $15,000 and $90,000. Employers must use the early retiree reinsurance program funds on health care programs that help to control employee costs.
Read our Early Retiree Reinsurance Program FAQ
- Online resources
Health insurance companies must post health plan options online for consumers. This provision applies only to fully insured individual policies and small group plans.
- Appeals and external review
Important: Grandfathering applies to this provision differently for individual and group plans. See details below.
All non-grandfathered individual and group health plans must have an effective appeals process for coverage determinations and claim decisions for plan years beginning on or after September 23, 2010. The PPACA requires plans and issuers to offer an external review process that meets minimum requirements.
Plans must:
Follow Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) rules pertaining to claims and appeals.
- Consider a rescission (retroactive cancellation) of coverage to be an adverse benefit determination
- Provide to the claimant any new or additional evidence or rationale considered, relied upon or generated in connection with the claim prior to giving a final adverse determination
- Address urgent pre-service initial determinations within 72 hours
- Meet additional adverse determination notice requirements, including:
- Providing information sufficient to identify the claim
- Providing a description of the available internal appeals and external review processes
- Disclosing information about any applicable office of health insurance consumer assistance or ombudsman
There is a foreign language requirement for notices under certain circumstances.
Grandfathered group plans are exempt from this requirement.
Read our news alert to learn about reform's claims and appeals process
- Cancellation of coverage (rescissions)
Insurers and plans cannot retroactively cancel coverage except in cases of fraud or intentional misrepresentation. If coverage is cancelled, the PPACA requires 30 days advance notice to all enrollees.
Note: Cigna voluntarily complied with this provision on May 1, 2010.
- Dependent coverage to age 26
The PPACA requires dependents under age 26 be covered regardless of marital, student, residency or financial status. The Department of Health and Human Services requires plans to cover those:
- Currently enrolled on the plan
- Previously terminated from the plan
- Never enrolled on the plan
Spouses and children of dependents are not eligible unless the plan already covers these individuals.
Until 2014, grandfathered plans are not required to cover dependents that have access to another employer-sponsored plan.
Additional notes:
- Funds from Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) may be used for dependents up to age 26.
- Plans may also offer retroactive FSA reimbursement for expenses incurred by a dependent up to age 26 – as far back as March 30, 2010. The IRS Ruling (2010-38) allows for this exception as long as you amended your cafeteria plan documents by December 31, 2010.*
- Health Savings Account (HSA) funds may not be used to pay the expenses of covered dependents who are not claimed as dependents for tax purposes.
*Under certain circumstances, extending FSA coverage to dependents up to age 26 may be optional. Please speak to your own legal counsel to determine if your FSA plan is required to provide this extension of coverage.
- Doctor choice
Enrollees must be allowed to select the primary care physician (PCP), including a pediatrician, of their choice. Enrollees must be able to visit an OB/GYN without a referral from the PCP. This rule does not apply to grandfathered plans.
- Dollar limits on essential health benefits
Important: Grandfathering applies to annual dollar limits differently for individual and group plans. See details below.
- Plans are restricted from having lifetime limits on coverage defined as Essential Health Benefits. Health care reform allows an annual limit on Essential Health Benefits until January 1, 2014. Final government definitions of essential benefits remain outstanding. However, plans and insurers are expected to make a good faith effort to comply with the lifetime and annual guidance provided so far.
The following minimum annual limits are allowed for plan years beginning on or after these dates:
- September 23, 2010: not less than $750,000
- September 23, 2011: not less than $1.25 million
- September 23, 2012: not less than $2 million
- 2014: No annual dollar limits allowed
Plans and insurers must offer a one-time, 30-day special enrollment period to any individual whose coverage previously ended due to reaching the lifetime dollar limit. This applies if that individual would otherwise still be eligible for coverage.
The PPACA provides an annual limits waiver program for limited benefit plans, which are typically for part-time or seasonal employees, that were in effect prior to September 23, 2010. The waivers are generally granted if compliance would significantly increase premiums or decrease access to coverage for current enrollees.
In June 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services extended the waiver program through 2014. To obtain a waiver, an extension request must have been received by September 22, 2011. Annual limit updates must then be sent by December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2013 to extend the waiver through 2014.
The PPACA has disclosure requirements for plans that receive waivers. They must clearly communicate limits of the coverage so plan participants understand them.
When state insurance exchanges open and other coverage options become available, waivers and annual limits will no longer be allowed.
For individual plans, annual dollar limits do not apply to grandfathered plans.
Read our extending annual limits waiver alert
Learn about annual and lifetime maximums in our FAQ
- Emergency care
The PPACA requires insurers to cover all emergency services* as in-network benefits even if the emergency services are received out-of-network. Also, the PPACA does not allow insurers to require prior authorization for out-of-network emergency care.
Doctors and hospitals may balance bill participants once their benefit plan or insurer pays an amount equal to the greatest of the:
- Amount negotiated with in-network providers (median cost, if more than one amount is negotiated)
- Amount of the in-network, cost-sharing (without reduction for out-of-network cost-sharing, i.e. the Usual and Customary Rate or "UCR")
- Sum generally paid by Medicare
These requirements do not apply to grandfathered plans.
*Plans must adopt a standard the "prudent layperson" definition for emergency services.
- Prohibition in favor of highly compensated individuals
Health care reform does not allow plans to discriminate by giving highly compensated employees better benefits. Employers may be fined $100 per day multiplied by the number of employees denied participation in the plan. The Department of Treasury has delayed enforcement of this rule until the Department of Health and Human Services issues additional rules.
Distinction based on a job factor, such as hours, salary or location may be acceptable.
Grandfathered plans do not have to follow this rule. A similar rule already exists for self-funded plans.
- No pre-existing condition limitations for enrollees under 19
Important: Grandfathering applies to this provision differently for individual and group plans. See details below.
Plans cannot deny benefits and coverage for people age 19 or under, whether they are an employee, spouse or dependent, because they have a pre-existing condition.
Beginning January 1, 2014 no one can be denied coverage based on pre-existing conditions.
Grandfathered individual plans are exempt from this requirement.
- Preventive services/immunizations without cost share
Plans must cover preventive care services and immunizations with no cost-sharing, such as deductibles, coinsurance, copayments or any other payment. However, cost sharing does not include premiums, balance billing amounts for out-of-network services or costs for non-covered services.
Grandfathered plans do not have to follow this rule.
The PPACA does not require preventive care to be covered for services received out-of-network. If a grandfathered or non-grandfathered plan includes out-of-network coverage, then cost-sharing, such as deductibles and coinsurance, are allowed. The preventive care services are covered in full under the in-network coverage.
Dollar limits on out-of-network preventive services and immunizations are not allowed.
Preventive care services and immunizations include:
- Recommended evidence-based preventive services from the United States Preventive Services Task Force with a rating of A or B.
- Immunizations recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Preventive care guidelines developed by the Health Resources and Services Administration and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
- On August 1, 2011, HHS adopted additional Guidelines for Women's Preventive Services – including well-woman visits, support for breastfeeding equipment, contraception and domestic violence screening – that will be covered without cost sharing in new health plans starting in August 2012. The guidelines were recommended by the independent Institute of Medicine (IOM) and based on scientific evidence.
- These additional guidelines apply to new non-grandfathered plans (new or renewing) beginning with the first plan year on and after August 1, 2011.
- Please visit hrsa.gov/womensguidelines to read the Guidelines for Women's Preventive Services.
Visit hhs.gov to read a list of covered preventive services.
- Temporary high risk pools
Temporary high-risk pools give health insurance to people with pre-existing conditions who have not had insurance for at least six months. These pools will be available until state exchanges begin operating and selling insurance in 2014.
If insurers and employers encourage individuals to leave their current plan to join a high-risk pool they will be held responsible for the health care expenses paid by the high-risk pool.
- No unreasonable premium increases
Every year the federal government will review plan premium increases. Health and Human Services is establishing a process to review unreasonable increases. This provision applies only to fully insured individual policies and small group plans.
2011 - After a year of new reform regulations, focus shifted to preparation for the future.
- Health savings account distribution tax penalty
If a person uses Health Savings Account funds for items not listed as medical expenses under the federal tax code, the Internal Revenue Service may impose a 20 percent tax penalty on the amount.
All plans were required to follow this rule regardless of status as of January 1, 2011.
Read our health savings accounts FAQ
Read our over-the-counter drugs fact sheet to learn more
Read our over-the-counter medicines update to review changes in using health spending accounts
- Eliminate the Medicare Part D coverage "Donut Hole"
- Under the ACA, the Part D coverage gap gradually closes between 2011 and 2020. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 accelerates the timeline by one year and requires the gap to be closed by 2019.
- In 2010, enrollees received a $250 rebate from the government if they entered the Part D coverage gap.
- Starting in 2011, there was progressively lower beneficiary coinsurance for generic drugs and coverage for brand name drugs (with discounts from drug companies) in the gap.
- By 2019, the donut hole will be reduced to 25 percent coinsurance, instead of 100 percent.
The ACA keeps the federal Medicare Part D 28 percent drug subsidy as is.
Read our Medicare Part D subsidy FAQ
- Medical loss ratio
Insurers must provide an annual rebate to policyholders if they do not spend a certain percent of premiums on claims and other medical services. Called the medical loss ratio, this amount is based on a "cell" of business to which the individual or group belongs. A rebate would be issued if the cell's medical loss ratio is less than 85 percent for large groups or 80 percent for small groups or individuals.
This provision applies to fully insured plans, including shared returns. Special calculation rules apply to limited medical plans, making them unlikely to generate rebates. International expatriate plans are excluded from rebates for plan years through December 31, 2015.
Read our medical loss ratio FAQ
Learn about medical loss ratio
- Over-the-counter drugs
As of January 1, 2011, purchases of most OTC drugs and medicines were no longer reimbursable from health spending accounts (HRA, HSA and FSA) unless the individual had a doctor's prescription for the drug.
Certain products, such as contact lens solutions, insulin and diabetic supplies and first aid items can still be purchased with health spending and savings account funds without a prescription.
Health care reform affects flexible spending account debit cards, too. They may no longer be used to purchase over-the-counter drugs or medicines. However, the cost will be reimbursed with a prescription and store receipt. If a pharmacy processes the over-the-counter drug as a prescription (as defined by Internal Revenue Service notice 2011-05), then the flexible spending account debit card may allow the charge to go through.
For Health Savings Accounts, copies of prescriptions and receipts must be kept in the event of a federal income tax audit.
Read about over-the-counter changes in our FAQs
View our fact sheet to learn about rules for over-the-counter drugs
Read our over-the-counter medicines update to review changes in using health spending accounts
2012 - The PPACA will create administrative standards in United States health care.
- Encouraging integrated health systems
The PPACA improves quality of care by creating incentives for doctors to form accountable care organizations (ACOs). These organizations allow doctors and other health care professionals to better coordinate patient care. They could help prevent disease and illness and reduce unnecessary hospital admissions or re-admissions.
Incentives will be paid by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for Medicare patients, but many ACOs will also contract for other patients.
- Summary of Benefits and Coverage
The Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) provision applies to employees and dependents of domestic group and individual health plans. It applies to all fully insured and self-insured plans, regardless of grandfathered status. It does not apply to Medicare plans or U.S.-issued expatriate plans.
Effective September 23, 2012, health insurers and self-insured group health plans were required to provide a standard Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) document to all individuals enrolling in medical coverage. This includes mid-year enrollment for new employees and those experiencing a special enrollment event, and 'upon request' by other enrollees.
The current SBC includes:
- A four-page benefits and coverage summary describing plan benefits, cost sharing and limitations
- Consumer costs examples based on the specific plan's benefits for two common medical scenarios: maternity and diabetes management
- Customer service phone number and a website to review or obtain a copy of their full policy or certificate
- A glossary of standard medical and insurance terms
Click here for more details on the current regulations
- Quality of care reporting
The Department of Health and Human Services is developing rules for how plans report on benefits and how they pay health care providers. The goal is to improve health outcomes through:
- Reporting
- Case management
- Care coordination
- Chronic disease management
- Medication and care initiatives, including the medical homes model for treatment or services
New rules are aimed at reducing hospital readmissions. A comprehensive program for hospital discharge could include:
- Patient education and counseling
- Thorough discharge planning
- Post-discharge follow-up by a health care professional
To improve patient safety and reduce medical errors, health care reform requires use of:
- Best clinical practices
- Evidence-based medicine
- Health information technology
The PPACA also supports widespread wellness and health promotion programs.
Grandfathered plans are not required to participate.
- Reducing paperwork and administrative costs
Many changes will make billing practices uniform to improve the quality of care. The PPACA requires health plans to adopt rules for the secure, confidential and electronic sending of health information. Standard documents could reduce paperwork and administrative duties, lower costs and decrease medical errors.
Grandfathered plans are not required to participate.
- Comparative Effectiveness Research Fee
Reform creates a Comparative Effectiveness Research Fee (CERF), and revenue from this fee will fund research that determines the effectiveness of various forms of medical services that treat, manage, diagnose or prevent illness or injury.
Effective for plan years that began on and after October 2, 2011, insurers and self-insured group health plans must pay an annual fee that initially begins at $1 per participant, including dependents. The fee increases to $2 per participant in 2013, then to an amount indexed to national health expenditures for future years. CERF continues through September 30, 2019 with the last payment due July 31, 2020 for some plans.
Read our CERF Fact Sheet
- Women's Health Amendment
On August 1, 2011, HHS adopted additional Guidelines for Women's Preventive Services – including well-woman visits, support for breastfeeding equipment, contraception and domestic violence screening – that will be covered without cost sharing in new health plans starting in August 2012. The guidelines were recommended by the independent Institute of Medicine (IOM) and based on scientific evidence.
- These additional guidelines apply to new non-grandfathered plans (new or renewing) beginning with the first plan year on and after August 1, 2011.
- Please visit hrsa.gov/womensguidelines to read the Guidelines for Women's Preventive Services.
See 2010 for the Preventive Services/Immunizations without Cost Share provision synopsis.
- W-2 Reporting
Starting with the 2012 tax year, employers who distribute 250 or more* Form W-2s for the tax year are required to include the value of applicable employer-sponsored coverage on each employee's W-2 Form. This is not considered taxable income and is for information purposes only. Employee premiums may still be made on a pre-tax basis.
IRS Notice released October 12, 2010, made this reporting requirement for the 2011 tax-year voluntary. Employers that choose not to report the aggregate cost of employer-sponsored coverage for the 2012 tax year and beyond will be subject to tax penalties. While the Form W-2 has not changed, the IRS added a code "DD" that employers should put in box 12 to report the value.
See the IRS sample W-2 form
* It is important to note that this requirement applies to employers who distribute 250 or more W-2s, not simply to employers with 250 or more employees. A high-turnover employer with 200 employees may send out more than 250 W-2s.
2013 - Final preparations heading into reform's pinnacle in 2014.
- Flexible spending account limits
Individuals can save up to $2,500 per year (the Department of Health and Human Services will adjust the amount to inflation) in their flexible spending accounts.
Read our flexible spending account contribution cap FAQs
Read our flexible spending account FAQ
Read our fact sheet to view changes in using health spending accounts
- Expanded authority to bundle payments
Establishes a national pilot program to encourage hospitals, doctors and other health care professionals to work together to improve the coordination and quality of patient care.
- Increased Medicare Part A tax on wages and investment income
Starting January 1, 2013, there will be additional Medicare taxes for high-income earners. Employees earning up to $200,000 will continue to pay the same 1.45% Medicare tax. Employees earning more will be taxed an additional .9% on all earnings over the $200,000. Employers are liable for this added tax if they do not begin withholding the additional .9% once earnings reach $200,000.
For married couples filing jointly, the tax is assessed on a total household income of $250,000. In this case, a single employee's income may be below $200,000, so the employee is liable for the additional Medicare tax.
There is also an additional 3.8% Medicare tax on investment income (interest, dividends, and capital gains). The amount of investment income to be taxed is determined by the lesser of:
* The Modified Adjusted Gross Income above the threshold of
* $200,000 for an individual
* $250,000 for married or joint income
* Total investment earnings
Individuals who believe they may be assessed this new tax should consult their tax advisor or Certified Public Accountant (CPA) for guidance.
2014 - The year several key health reform provisions take effect
- Health Insurance Marketplaces/Exchanges
On January 1, 2014, states are required to establish health care exchanges where individuals and small employers can evaluate and purchase health insurance. In 2017, states may allow large employers (more than 100 employees) to purchase insurance through exchanges.
Health care reform establishes exchanges to offer affordable health insurance and makes it easy for people to purchase.
A state may defer to the federal government to establish an exchange for its citizens. Or, a state may develop an exchange in partnership with the federal government and take advantage of processes and systems being developed for the federal exchange.
There are many details for the states and the Department of Health and Human Services to work on before 2014.
Read our exchanges FAQ
Download our marketplaces fact sheet
- Individual mandate
The ACA requires all U.S. citizens and legal residents to have minimum essential coverage. This requirement is effective Jan. 1, 2014 through Dec. 31, 2018. People who do not have coverage will be subject to IRS taxes for every month they do not have coverage. The penalties will be zeroed out in 2019. There are a few exceptions to the penalty.
Read our individual mandate FAQ
Read rule for U.S. territories in our FAQs
More information about the Individual Mandate
- Essential health benefits
Health care reform requires fully insured small group and individual health plans to cover essential health benefits with no annual dollar limits or lifetime maximums starting in 2014.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is working on the definition of essential health benefits, but the law will require plans cover:
- Ambulatory patient services
- Emergency services
- Hospitalization
- Maternity and newborn care
- Mental health and substance abuse disorder services (including behavioral health treatment)
- Prescription drugs
- Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices
- Laboratory services
- Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
- Pediatric services, including oral and vision care
Plans that stay grandfathered are not required to follow this rule. Large group plans will be affected if they offer any essential health benefits.
Read our annual limits FAQ
Learn if your plan qualifies for a waiver with our FAQ
Read our Essential Health Benefits fact sheet
Understand grandfathered status
- No pre-existing conditions for all ages
Important: Grandfathering applies to this provision differently for individual and group plans. See details below.
Beginning January 1, 2014 all individual and group health insurance plans are not allowed to deny coverage to enrollees based on a pre-existing condition. The ban includes benefit limitations and coverage denials.
Grandfathered plans for individuals are exempt from this rule.
Read our Grandfathered Plan Fact Sheet
- Clinical trials
With health care reform, plans can't deny people from participating in clinical trials. They can't limit coverage of routine patient costs for items and services in connection with the trial. The PPACA says that they must not discriminate against a policyholder because of a clinical trial.
Approved clinical trials are phase I, II, III or IV clinical trials that are for prevention, detection or treatment of cancer or another life-threatening disease.
Grandfathered plans do not have to follow this rule. However, Cigna plans to adopt expanded coverage for clinical trials as standard policy for all insured and self-insured plans.
Read our Clinical Trials Fact Sheet
- Dollar limits on essential health benefits: annual
Annual limits on the dollar value of essential health benefits ends in 2014.
Grandfathered plans for individuals are exempt from this rule.
Learn about annual limits in our FAQ
Read our waiver process FAQ
Read our fact sheet for more information on Taft-Hartley and Federal plans
- Cost-Sharing Limits
In-network out-of-pocket (OOP) maximums cannot exceed $6,350 individual/$12,700 family in 2014. These limits will be adjusted annually.
In-network copays, deductibles and coinsurance must count toward the OOP maximum. Mental health/substance abuse must be included, even if provided by a different carrier. Additional benefits such as prescription drugs carved out to other vendors/carriers do not have to be coordinated until 2015.
Grandfathered plans are exempt.
- Wellness Program Incentives
The maximum wellness program reward is 30% of the total cost of medical coverage, including both employer and employee contributions.
The maximum reward may be increased to 50% for programs related to tobacco use.
Rewards can be provided through premium discounts or surcharges, reduced costs or enhanced benefits.
Read our news alert on Wellness Programs
Read our news alert on 2015 Wellness Program Proposed Regulations
- Guaranteed availability/renewability
Each carrier offering fully insured health insurance coverage in the individual or group market must accept every individual and group in the state that applies for coverage.
The carrier must renew or continue coverage at the plan sponsor or individual's choice. Grandfathered plans are exempt.
- Waiting periods
With reform, group health plans and group health insurance carriers can't require an insurance coverage waiting period of more than 90 days.
Read more about the Final Rule on Waiting Periods
- Auto enrollment
Automatic enrollment was repealed on November 2, 2015.
This provision would have required automatic enrollment and re-enrollment activities for employers with more than 200 employees.
- Health insurance industry fee
This fee on health insurers, including HMOs, is based on each insurer's share among all health insurers of U.S. health risks. It starts at $8 billion in 2014 and increases year over year before reaching $14.3 billion in 2018.
In December 2015, the Health Insurance Industry Fee was suspended for 2017. It was reinstated for 2018, but suspended again for 2019 as a result of changes made in a January 2018 short-term federal spending bill.
Read our Health Insurance Industry Fee fact sheet
- Reinsurance fee
This ACA fee was intended to help fund implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).
This fee on health plans totals $25 billion, which was collected over the three-year period from 2014 through 2016, with the final payments made in 2017. The money was used to fund a reinsurance program, which was intended to lessen the impact of adverse selection in the individual market.
The fee applied to both insured and self-funded commercial major medical plans effective January 1, 2014.
2015 - A year of provisions delayed or having transitional relief
- Employer mandate
Employers must offer health insurance that is affordable and provides minimum value to their full-time employees and their children up to age 26 or be subject to penalties. The employer mandate applies to employers with 50 or more full-time employees. It will be phased in during 2015 and 2016 based on employer size.
Employers with more than 100 full-time employees (or the mathematical equivalent)* must offer health insurance benefits to 70% of full-time employees and their children up to age 26 in 2015. In 2016, the employer mandate expands to include employers with 50 to 99 full-time employees and coverage must be offered to 95% of full-time employees and their children.
- Large Employer Reporting Responsibilities
Effective for coverage offered in 2015, employers with 50 or more full-time employees and/or full-time equivalents must provide the IRS and their employees information for the prior calendar year about the employer's compliance with the employer mandate, including:
- whether the employer offered its full-time employees and their dependents the opportunity to enroll in "minimum essential coverage," and
- each full-time employee's share of the cost for the lowest plan offering minimum value
Coverage offered in the 2015 calendar year will be reported in 2016. Filing deadlines have been extended for 2015 reporting only. Forms must be sent to employees by 3/31/2016, and forms must be sent to the IRS by 5/31/2016 if sent by mail, or 6/30/2016 if sent electronically.
- Minimum Essential Coverage Reporting
For coverage in the 2015 calendar year, insurers and employers of self-funded group health plans must provide the IRS and all covered individuals information indicating whether the covered individuals had minimum essential coverage each month as required by the individual mandate. This reporting requirement applies to all size employer plans. Coverage during the 2015 calendar year will be reported in 2016. Filing deadlines have been extended for 2015 reporting only. Forms must be sent to employees by 3/31/2016, and forms must be sent to the IRS by 5/31/2016 if sent by mail, or 6/30/2016 if sent electronically.
2016 - Changes to rules with specific impacts on employer-sponsored coverage
- Employer mandate
The employer mandate continues to be phased in and will apply to employers with 50 to 99 full-time employees for the first time in 2016. It will continue to apply to employers with 100 or more full-time employees.
The employer mandate requires employers with 50 or more full-time employees (or the mathematical equivalent)* to offer health insurance benefits to 95% of full-time employees and their children up to age 26 in 2016.
Employers will pay a penalty if they do not offer the required coverage and one or more employees receive a premium tax credit for coverage purchased through the Marketplace.
See the 2015 employer mandate timeline information for more details.
*Having a number of part-time employees can add up to more than 50 full-time employees.
Read our employer mandate fact sheet to learn more
- Small employer definition change
The national small group definition was scheduled to expand in 2016 from 1-50 to 1-100 total employees (any person that receives a W-2). However, this rule was repealed early October, 2015, leaving the definition of small group as 1-50 total employees, unless a state defines differently. Non-grandfathered, insured, small group health plans must comply with community rating standards and Essential Health Benefits (EHB) rules.
States currently expanding their small group definition to 1-100 total employees: CA, CO, NY and VT.
Expanding the small group definition beyond 50 total employees could present a significant change for insured groups with 51 or more full-time/full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, as these employers are considered "large employers" for most ACA rules.
Non-grandfathered insured employer groups that fit a state-defined small group size greater than 50 total employees, and whose workforce is comprised of 51 or more full-time/FTE employees will need to comply with both the small group market rules and the employer mandate. Such insured group health plans must comply with minimum value and affordability rules to avoid employer penalties despite higher premiums resulting from the small group rules. Consequently, these impacted employers may consider self-insuring their plans.
As an example, if a state expands its small group definition to 1-100 employees, an employer would be subject to both sets of rules if it had 95 total employees, comprised of 65 full-time employees.
U.S.-issued expatriate plans can continue to define a "small employer" as having 1-50 employees in 2016 and beyond.
Fully insured groups in states that expand the definition may have to comply with both requirements
* The small group size is set by every state and is determined by number of actual employees (any person that receives a W-2). The definition of an "applicable large employer" for purposes of the employer mandate is set by federal law and is any employer with 50 or more full-time and full-time equivalent employees.
- New individual out-of-pocket rules
Family plans that have a family out-of-pocket (OOP) limit higher than the PPACA individual OOP maximum must apply an individual OOP limit for each person enrolled in family coverage. This is referred to as an "embedded" individual OOP maximum, and means:
- Once a person covered under a family plan reaches the individual OOP limit, all covered expenses for that person must be reimbursed at 100%, even when the family OOP limit has not been met;
- Once the family OOP limit is reached, the plan must pay 100% of all covered expenses for every person under the family coverage no matter how much each person has accumulated in OOP expenses.
See how these rules may impact customers
- Once a person covered under a family plan reaches the individual OOP limit, all covered expenses for that person must be reimbursed at 100%, even when the family OOP limit has not been met;
2017 - Ongoing federal requirements on health plans
- Employer-sponsored wellness program notice
In compliance with final Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations on wellness programs, published in May 2016, employers must distribute notices to all wellness program participants describing the handling of medical information, and procedures for safeguarding information privacy. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission published an ADA Sample Notice and FAQs to assist employers with compliance.
Read the Wellness Programs and Incentives page
- Nondiscrimination (Section 1557 of ACA)
In May 2016, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a final rule on Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in certain health programs or activities. It also requires enhanced language assistance for individuals with limited English proficiency. This new rule was established to promote the ACA goals of expanding access to health care and coverage, eliminating barriers, and reducing health disparities.
The broad application of this final rule will affect the federal and state Marketplaces, all health care providers and health insurance issuers and employers that receive federal financial assistance. Financial assistance from HHS includes Medicare Part A, student health plans, advanced premium tax credits and many other federal programs. The final rule is broad in scope, but specifically prohibits categorical exclusions and limitations on health care services related to gender reassignment, including gender reassignment surgery, for impacted health plans in the United States. Any entity that is subject to the nondiscrimination requirements must also ensure that its own employer-sponsored plans are compliant. All insured health plans covered by health insurance carriers are impacted.
This rule was effective as of July 18, 2016; however, the majority of changes in benefits design are required on the first day of the plan or policy year beginning on or after January 1, 2017.
Read our Final Rule on Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities news alert
- Summary of Benefits and Coverage: revised documents
New regulations are in effect for all SBC documents created on or after April 1, 2017. The general format of the new SBC template is similar to the current version. Some changes include:
- Streamlined content, e.g., removal of Q&A about Coverage Examples, which reduced the template to 5 pages (SBC limit remains 8 pages/4 double-sided pages)
- An additional cost example for a foot fracture treated in an emergency room
- Updated claims/pricing data for the coverage example calculator
- New minimum essential coverage and minimum value language, as well as new continuation and appeals/grievance rights language
- Revised language for some sections of the template
- An updated Uniform Glossary
Read the Summary of Benefits and Coverage fact sheet
- State Innovation Waivers (Section 1332)
Under Section 1332 of the ACA, states can waive key provisions of the law in order to implement innovative, alternate health coverage rules or programs while retaining basic consumer protections. Beginning in 2017, states can apply for the 5-year waivers through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In the application, states can request to waive or modify any or all of the following ACA provisions:
- Essential Health Benefits (EHBs) and cost sharing requirements
- Metal tiers of coverage
- Premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions
- Marketplaces
- Individual and/or employer mandates
To receive consideration and approval for a waiver, a state must demonstrate that its innovation plan will not increase the federal deficit over ten years and will provide coverage that is at least as comprehensive; coverage that is at least as affordable; and coverage to at least a comparable number of residents.
Through this process, states can request a subsidy "pass through" to assist with funding the plan. The "pass through" provides the state with funds equal to the total premium tax credit and cost-sharing subsidies that residents would otherwise have received from the ACA regulated Marketplace.
Read the State Innovation Waivers fact sheet
- Marketplace expansion option
With approval from Health and Human Services (HHS), states will have an option to open their public marketplace to any size employer. However, no state has taken action to expand beyond their small group offering for 2017.
See the Health Insurance Exchanges/Marketplaces page for the most recent updates on public exchanges.
2018 – No provisions scheduled to take effect.
2019 – Modifications to the Affordable Care Act begin with effective repeal of the Individual Mandate
- Individual Mandate
The ACA required all U.S. citizens and legal residents to have minimum essential coverage from 2014 through 2018 or pay a penalty. Beginning Jan. 1, 2019, the penalties are zeroed out. This modification to the ACA was included in the 2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Read our individual mandate FAQ
More information about the Individual Mandate
- Medicare Part D
Health care reform phases out the coverage gap known as the "Donut Hole" in the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit. Seniors pay a standard 25 percent of drug costs until they reach the threshold for Medicare catastrophic coverage.
The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 accelerated the closure of this coverage gap from 2020 to 2019.
Read our Medicare Part D coverage gap FAQ
2022 - Cadillac Tax, the final provision of original ACA, takes effect
- Cadillac excise tax
Health care reform law directs the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to impose a 40 percent tax on employers that provide high-cost benefits under an employer sponsored group health plan.
In December 2015, the effective date was moved from 2018 to 2020 and the tax was changed to be tax deductible for employers who pay it. In January 2018, the effective date was delayed another two years to 2022.
Read our Cadillac Tax Fact Sheet