Live Insurance News

Augusta, Georgia, contemplates self-insurance

September 25, 2012September 25, 2012 S.Vagus

Self-insurance may be an option to mitigate health insurance costs Employer-sponsored health insurance costs are growing for workers in Augusta, Georgia, which is causing some concern within the Augusta Commission. In an effort to rein in on these costs, the Augusta Commission is planning to take up the practice of self-insurance. Self-insurance is a method of risk management through which funds are set aside to account for financial risks associated with a varied assortment of events. The Augusta Commission believes that self-insurance may be an effective means of mitigating the…

Health insurance group plans are 97 percent more expensive than in 2002

September 21, 2012September 21, 2012 Julie Campbell

The price of medical coverage has been on a rapid climb throughout the last decade. A new national business survey has released its results this week, and it has shown that the cost of family health insurance through workplace plans has increased another 4 percent this year, while wages rose by only 1.7 percent. The survey was conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation/Health Research & Educational Trust. The gap between the coverage sponsored by employers, and the salaries paid to the employees is considered even more significant when the trend…

Missouri Legislature overturns Senate Bill 749

September 14, 2012April 30, 2013

Lawmakers dismantle Senate Bill 749 The Missouri Legislature has overridden a veto from Governor Jay Nixon concerning legislation that would have allowed consumers and businesses to opt out of insurance coverage providing benefits for certain types of birth control. The legislation, called Senate Bill 749, could have required employers to provide coverage for abortions, sterilization, and other forms of birth control through their insurance company. The Legislature voted on overriding the legislation this week with a 26-6 vote from the Senate. Bill allows employers and individuals to opt out of…

Health insurance premiums on the rise in 2012

September 14, 2012September 14, 2012 S.Vagus

Survey shows health insurance premiums are growing Employer sponsored health insurance premiums for family plans went up this year, according to a survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Educational Trust. Health insurance premiums have been a serious concern since the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010. The federal health care law seeks to lower premiums, but many suggest that the changes the law brings to the health care and insurance industries will, in fact, cause a spike in health insurance premiums. Premiums show modest…

Employer sponsored health insurance here to stay

September 13, 2012April 30, 2013

Study takes aim at employer-sponsored health insurance The Affordable Care Act has created a degree of uncertainty surrounding the issue of employer sponsored health insurance. The law is slated to make significant changes to the U.S. health care system, but the majority of these changes will not go into effect until 2014. The law was passed in 2010, providing ample time for worry and concern to take root in consumers and businesses alike. A recent study from Towers Watson, a leading professional services firm, takes aim at the issue of…