Live Insurance News

Health care reform taking an extra step for inclusion of LGBT community

September 17, 2012September 17, 2012 Julie Campbell

Efforts being made to make sure that the Affordable Care Act applies to transgender people. The Department of Health and Human Services has recently released a letter that has been hailed by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) advocates, and that has clarified certain health care reform provisions that prohibit sex discrimination that is currently experienced by transgender people through their coverage. The HHS has stated that it is discriminatory for these individuals to be denied coverage. This regulation applies to both employers and insurers, who, based on the health…

Kansas must take action on health insurance benefits before it’s too late

September 13, 2012 S.Vagus

Insurance Commissioner Praeger on Health Insurance

Insurance Commissioner Praeger urges action on health insurance benefits Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger claims that the state must take decisive action on the health insurance benefits it will provide consumers per the Affordable Care Act. States have until October to inform the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) what the minimum benefits residents can receive through policies sold through health insurance exchanges. If states cannot meet the deadline, the HHS will determine the minimum level of benefits available to consumers, which may not be suitable for everyone. State…

Florida Insurance News – Wrestling with health care reform

September 4, 2012September 3, 2012 S.Vagus

Florida Insurance News Headline: Officials concerned of losing control of health insurance industry When the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, several states banded together to overthrow what they considered to be an unconstitutional law. Earlier this year, the matter went before the Supreme Court, where the law was upheld. Florida was one of the state’s leading the charge in dismantling the Affordable Care Act and, despite the Supreme Court ruling, continues to oppose the law due to its controversial provisions. Florida, along with other stats, have expressed concern that…

Michigan health insurance exchange may be passed to federal government

August 25, 2012April 30, 2013

Michigan struggles with building an exchange program Michigan has been grappling with setting up its own health insurance exchange. The state is required to build an exchange by federal law. The Michigan health insurance exchange would provide residents with access to affordable insurance coverage and would likely create more competition in the state’s insurance industry. Governor Rick Snyder has announced that the state may petition the federal government to take over the effort and run the exchange itself. This would mean that the Michigan health insurance exchange would not actually…

Health insurance exchange meets opposition from 29 states

August 10, 2012August 9, 2012 Nordstrom

States refuse to build their own health insurance exchange programs The 29 states that combated the Affordable Care Act for the past two years are now resisting the establishment of health insurance exchanges. These exchanges are required by the federal health care law to be built in each state. Health insurance exchanges are designed to provide consumers with affordable access to coverage and allow U.S. citizens to more easily comply with the law’s health insurance mandate. The states opposing the establishment of health insurance exchanges argue that the health care…