Live Insurance News

Health insurance for employees is on the rise in Massachusetts

May 16, 2013May 14, 2013 G. Turner

Employer sponsored coverage is becoming more common among workers within the state. According to the data in a recent report, the percentage of employees in Massachusetts who are opting to take part in their employer’s sponsored health insurance coverage instead of taking home a larger amount of pay has increased since 2006, when the state overhauled its medical coverage system. The report also suggested that the federal Affordable Care Act may replicate this same result. The share of employees who have health insurance through their employment increased from having been…

Health insurance premiums are a motivator to live healthier

May 11, 2013May 25, 2013 Julie Campbell

A recent study has shown that coverage costs can encourage people to exercise more and get fit. There was a great deal of controversy that arose when a health insurance company first started charging higher rates for individuals who were obese, but whether or not it is deemed appropriate or fair, a recent study has shown that it can give people the motivation they need to bring their weight down to healthier levels. When policyholders were given the choice to lose weight or pay more, they quickly started dieting. According…

Health insurance research shows coverage and being healthy are not the same

May 3, 2013March 1, 2014 H. Cutner

The Oregon Health Experiment has demonstrated that even people with a plan get sick and die. A study about the relationship between health insurance coverage and actually being healthy was conducted in Oregon and showed that having a plan doesn’t necessarily guarantee wellness. The project was lead by Amy Finkelstein, from MIT, and showed that the two are not the same. Called the Oregon Health Experiment, the research indicated that while some people who have coverage live long and healthy lives, others get sick and die. It also determined that…

Health insurance restrictions for abortions approved by Pennsylvania lawmakers

April 18, 2013April 16, 2013 G. Turner

The House has passed a bill that would limit the amount of this coverage that could be obtained through the exchange. A House committee in Pennsylvania has just given its approval to a bill that would restrict the coverage that is available for abortion under the health insurance exchange that is being established in the state under the Affordable Care Act. The bill was passed following a vote that occurred essentially along party lines. The vote passed the bill at 15 to 9, which will send the proposal forward. The…

Health insurance price limits for older beneficiaries held by federal government

February 26, 2013February 26, 2013 G. Turner

The Obama administration sticks to its restrictions on what insurers are allowed to charge. The federal government has now finalized a regulation for health insurance companies that is designed to safeguard consumers through tighter restrictions on what those insurers are allowed to charge older beneficiaries. The government made the decision despite warnings from the industry that everyone else may need to pay more. Health insurance companies have warned the Obama administration that if older customers are not allowed to pay more for their coverage, then younger policyholders may see their…