D.C. court upholds the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act

 If there was ever any doubt that the Affordable Care Act would make it to the Supreme Court, a new ruling from a federal appeals court in the District of Columbia may have made it a sure thing. A panel of judges from the Court of Appeals in D.C. has ruled that the Affordable Care Act, particularly the provision for mandatory health insurance, is constitutional. The ruling conflicts with that coming from other appeals courts throughout the country that have deemed the law unconstitutional. To date, 26 states have filed…

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Health insurance marketplace clambers to prepare for state exchanges

The entire health care system is facing a massive change with the upcoming implementation of the state insurance exchanges which are the heart of the overhaul to the system made by the Obama administration. Businesses ranging from pharmacies to insurance companies, and from therapists to doctors and virtually any healthcare-related industry are now being forced to prepare for the new shape of the insurance marketplace and are all coming up with their own unique opinions based on the circumstances in which they are finding themselves. Among all of those different…

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Illinois legislators to decide the fate of a state-run insurance exchange this week

This is an important week for the health insurance industry in Illinois. The state has entered the national limelight as it draws closer to making a decision regarding the establishment of a health insurance exchange. Legislators have been torn on the issue since the passing of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. A law that would make the exchange a reality is currently before the state Legislature and lawmakers are expected to determine the fate of the exchange initiative by the end of the week. If the law is passed,…

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State Governors voice their concerns for state autonomy as health insurance exchanges become a reality

The National Governors Association has written a letter to the U.S. Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius regarding federally mandated health insurance exchanges. The exchanges have received mixed reviews from state officials, many of whom are still grappling with the vague guidelines provided to them by the Department of Health and Human Services. In the letters, Governors detail how the exchanges may damage a state’s autonomy, as the federal government may end up taking control of certain aspects of the exchange initiative. While the letter does not decry the establishment of exchanges,…

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West Virginia continues to work toward a health insurance exchange backed by recommendations from state regulators

Despite the controversy and vague fate of the Affordable Care Act, West Virginia will be continuing to adhere to one of the provisions of the federal law. State lawmakers have determined that a health insurance exchange would serve the needs of the state well and, earlier in the year, tasked state regulators with researching the steps necessary to make the initiative a reality. Regulators have issued a series of updates to lawmakers, bringing them up to speed on what must be done and where money is needed most. A great…

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