Virginia may soon be heading down the path of establishing its own health insurance exchange, despite opposition from Governor Robert McDonnell. State legislators worry that time is growing short for the state to take action. If Virginia does not build its own exchange by 2014, the federal government will step in and build and govern one of their own. Legislation that would make an exchange possible is being championed by Delegate Terry Kilgore, chairman of the House of Commerce and Labor Committee. Kilgore believes that immediate action must be taken…
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North Dakota faces challenges in changing health insurance system
North Dakota legislators have been working to make changes to the state’s health insurance system to make it more in line with imminent federal regulations. A legislative committee has been tasked with the job of drafting such changes and will be presenting them during a special session of the Legislature scheduled for November 7. Lawmakers are eager to make changes to the system, but a potential snag takes the form of a $83 million price tag, which may put an end to the committee’s plans before any work can be…
Read MoreBay Area Council Unveils Roadmap for Creating a High-Value Healthcare
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The Bay Area Council today released its “Roadmap to a High-Value Health System ,” which outlines a series of concrete strategies for leveraging California’s power as an innovator to control rising healthcare costs for business and individuals. The Roadmap will serve as the foundation for the Council’s ongoing engagement with healthcare reform implementation, value-based healthcare purchasing by Bay Area businesses, and health system transformation. “Reigning in rapidly rising healthcare costs is critical for maintaining the competitive edge of Bay Area and California businesses in our global…
Read MoreFlorida to build an independent insurance exchange exclusively for small business
Amidst ongoing controversy surrounding the federal health care laws, Florida has opted to take its own approach on a mandated insurance marketplace. The law requires that all states have a working health insurance exchange in place by 2014. The exchanges are meant to be an online insurance marketplace where consumers can find affordable policies. Florida stood in opposition for the federal health care law since it was passed in 2010, and state legislators have expressed their discontent for the exchange initiative in the past. Now, the state is attempting to…
Read MoreHealth insurance industry begins showing support for presidential candidates
The health insurance industry is beginning to show tentative support for political candidates in the upcoming election season, according to research from the Center for Responsive Politics, a non-profit political research group. The two candidates receiving this support are Republican Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama – the only candidates to have shown support for a health insurance mandate. Such mandates stand to benefit the health insurance industry and throwing support behind the candidate with the most popular health care policy may prove to be lucrative in the future. Health…
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