The constitutionality of the healthcare reforms is now before the Supreme Court

As of Monday, March 26, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court has started to hear the verbal arguments in the highly controversial and politically charged case of whether or not the healthcare reforms made by the Obama Administration starting in 2010 are constitutional. Twenty six states have sent attorneys to represent them – primarily those with governors who are Republican – as well as the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) as they face off against the lawyers from the Justice Department. They believe that the health care reform’s requirement for…

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Washington Governor Gregoire signs state insurance exchange bill

Washington state Governor Christine Gregoire has now signed a bill into law, which now sets the rules in that state for insurance companies that are readying themselves for the online insurance exchange that is a part of the federal healthcare reform. The exchanges are a part of the President Barack Obama overhaul that began in 2010, and they must be ready to be put into place by January 1, 2014. They are designed to assist both individuals and small businesses to find proper and affordable health insurance coverage. Governor Gregoire…

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Millions of Americans may receive rebates from insurers this year

Before the summer draws to a close, millions of people across the United States will be receiving rebates from their insurers, due to the new federal healthcare reform requirements that have placed strict rules on the way that insurance companies spend their earnings. This regulation is not without opposition. The entire insurance industry, along with a large number of state officials, have been battling this rule for some time. Based on the federal regulations that went into effect at the end of 2011, health insurance companies are required to spend…

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Survey shows that challenges facing states in building health insurance exchanges

A new survey conducted by the KPMG Government Institute, an analysis organization that focuses on government policy and legislative trends, provides some insight on some of the challenges facing states in their efforts to build a health insurance exchange. The survey draws upon information provided by 80 state officials from throughout the country. These officials offered information on why health insurance exchanges seem to be such a troublesome issue. The common consensus boils down to cost. The survey suggests that insurance exchanges may be too expensive for some states, even…

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Supreme Court to begin litigation on Affordable Care Act this month

This month, the U.S. Supreme Court will begin litigation on the controversial Affordable Care Act. The federal law seeks to radically change the structure of the country’s health care industry and introduces new insurance regulations that are aimed at benefiting consumers. The Act was signed into law in 2010 and has since been a point of contention for political leaders and legislators throughout the U.S. Many states have backed the Affordable Care Act, but others have filed lawsuits against the federal government, accusing the law of being unconstitutional. The Supreme…

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