Health insurance exchange plan in Minnesota costlier than expected

Health Insurance Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton

The state’s bill for the program at the heart of the healthcare reforms is higher than predicted. According to Governor Mark Dayton’s administration, the cost of operating the health insurance exchange in the year 2015 is now predicted to be around $54 million. Previous forecasts had placed the expense at between $30 million and $40 million for the state. That said, Minnesota will not need to obtain those funds until that year, when the state health insurance exchanges are required to be able to sustain themselves, financially. The same projections…

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Illinois health insurance exchange still uncertain

Illinois Health Insurance Exchanges

Illinois health insurance exchange is the basis for new political turmoil in its home state The Affordable Care Act is here to stay in the U.S., secured by a second term victory from President Obama and upheld by the Supreme Court. Because the future of the health care reform law is not longer in question, states are beginning to take aggressive steps to ensure they comply with the federal law. Some of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act are more easily accomplished than others, however, and some states are…

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Medical loss ratio provision could have saved Illinois residents millions according to Commonwealth Fund report

Health care reform medical loss ratio study The Commonwealth Fund, an independent foundation based in New York that researchers health care policies, has released a new report concerning the medical loss ratio (MLR) provision of the Affordable Care Act. The MLR provision requires insurance companies to spend no less than 80% of the money they collect from premiums on improving medical care. If insurers cannot meet this standard, the money must be returned to policyholders. The provision took effect in 2011, but has been mired in litigation and bureaucracy, which…

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California insurance regulators clash with Aetna over insurance rate hikes

California health insurance industry go head to head with regulators Aetna Life Insurance has raised the health insurance rates for small employers in the state of California this month. The company has plans to raise rates by an average of 8% for this sector each year. The plan has struck a chord with the state’s insurance regulators, with Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones accusing the company of being unreasonable. According to the state’s Department of Insurance, Aetna’s health insurance rates for small businesses will jump by more than 30% over the…

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California pushes for insurance exchange despite fate of Affordable Care Act

California health insurance news update California seems to be moving ahead with its plans to build a health insurance exchange despite the current controversy surrounding the Affordable Care Act. The federal health care law is currently awaiting ruling from the Supreme Court after lengthy and uncomfortable litigation last month. Speculation suggests that the Court may rule the law as unconstitutional, or at least a part of which, which means that states would no longer be required to build insurance exchanges. California lawmakers are well aware of the possibility that the…

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