Consumers and businesses alike are being urged to acquire flood insurance Missouri homeowners, business owners, and renters are being encouraged to purchase flood insurance coverage, even if their properties are not located in risk-prone areas. Floods have caused significant damage in the past due to heavy rainfall and powerful storms. In Missouri, those without flood protection are being urged to acquire coverage in order to adequately protect themselves and their properties. Typically, however, the only place for people to find coverage is through the National Flood Insurance Program. Agencies in…
Read MoreTag: Missouri
Missouri officials ban insurance industry from using price optimization
Department of Insurance bans the use of controversial price optimization practice The Missouri Department of Insurance has officially banned the use of price optimization among insurance providers. Insurance Commissioner John Huff has issued a warning to insurers using this pricing method that they will be faced with severe penalties if they continue to do so. This decision affects the insurance industry in the state, applying to a variety of companies, especially property and casualty insurance companies. Price optimization continues to cause problems for the insurance industry Price optimization has become…
Read MoreGrad students in Missouri are losing their health insurance subsidies
Grad students are suffering under some provisions of the Affordable Care Act Grad students from the University of Missouri have lost the health insurance subsidies that they received through the Affordable Care Act. According to the university, grad students are considered by the Internal Revenue Service, which manages federal subsidies for insurance coverage, to be “employees.” As such, many of them are not eligible to receive subsidies from the government. Grad students that have lost access to subsidies may not be able to afford the insurance coverage that they currently…
Read MoreMissouri falls behind in mitigate increase in health insurance rates
State has been unable to halt the growth of health insurance premiums Missouri may be falling behind in protecting its residents from significant health insurance rate increases. In 2016, insurance policies are set to become more expensive nationwide due proposals from insurers. Typically, state regulators investigate rate increase proposals in order to determine whether or not they are needed. In Missouri, however, regulators are not tasked to investigate rate proposals. Instead, this burden falls to the federal government, which may be leaving consumers open to significant rate increases that could…
Read MoreHealth insurance provider hit with major fine in Missouri
Aetna faces $4.5 million fine for violating insurance laws in Missouri Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has announced that health insurance provider Aetna will be paying $4.5 million in fees for violating state law. One of these violations has to do with Aetna covering elective abortions even though some policies did not allow for such coverage. This represents the single largest insurance penalty imposed against a company in Missouri’s history. Notably, the health insurance company is holding itself accountable for any violations of state law, also acknowledging that it had violated…
Read MoreHealth insurance companies sending refunds to consumers throughout the US
Insurers are issuing refunds thanks to the provisions of the Affordable Care Act Millions in insurance premiums are being returned to consumers throughout the U.S., according to the Department of Health and Human Services. The federal agency has released data showing that several insurance companies have been unable to meet the medical loss ratio of the Affordable Care Act. This provision requires insurance companies to spend no less than 80% of the money they collect from premiums on improving medical care. If insurers cannot comply with this provision, they must…
Read MoreHealth insurance costs in Missouri and Kansas are cut down thanks to tax credits
Tax credits lead to more affordable coverage for those in Missouri and Kansas Tax credits offered by the U.S. federal government are having a major impact on the cost of health insurance in Missouri and Kansas. These tax credits come from the Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, and have helped make insurance coverage more accessible and less expensive. The credits are applied to policies that are sold through state-based insurance exchanges and are available to those that fall within a certain poverty level, as defined by the federal government.…
Read More