Live Insurance News

Affordable Care Act stirring rage in California

January 24, 2013January 24, 2013 Dan

Affordable Care Act spurs insurers to raise rates Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, health insurance companies have been warning of a nationwide rate increase that could introduce new financial pressures to consumers throughout the U.S. Insurers claim that the provisions of the health care law are responsible for the possibility of higher rates. The law requires insurance companies to take more aggressive measures on the types of coverage they provide, the administration of the companies themselves, as well as expand the eligibility of insurance coverage.…

Health insurance fee may be added to reforms

December 12, 2012December 12, 2012 Julie Campbell

The healthcare overhaul may include a new expense that could reach the wallets of consumers. The overhaul of the health insurance system may now involve a new $63 per person fee that is designed to help to pad the cost of providing coverage to individuals who have a pre-existing medical condition. This additional charge was worked into a recent regulation that was created for the system. According to employers, who are greatly displeased with the health insurance fee, it could lead to tens of millions of dollars for the biggest…

Health insurance rules from healthcare reforms generate $1.5 billion in savings

December 7, 2012December 6, 2012 Julie Campbell

Regulations put into place from the system wide overhaul have customers spending less. The results of a study by the Commonwealth Fund, a research institution, have now been released, indicating that the health insurance rules that have been put into place by the healthcare law reforms have caused system wide improvements in efficiency that saved Americans almost $1.5 billion last year. The law’s provision says that insurers must spend at least 80 percent of collected premiums on medical care This is the case among insurers selling plans to individuals and…

Health insurance exchange plan in Minnesota costlier than expected

November 27, 2012April 30, 2013

Health Insurance Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton

The state’s bill for the program at the heart of the healthcare reforms is higher than predicted. According to Governor Mark Dayton’s administration, the cost of operating the health insurance exchange in the year 2015 is now predicted to be around $54 million. Previous forecasts had placed the expense at between $30 million and $40 million for the state. That said, Minnesota will not need to obtain those funds until that year, when the state health insurance exchanges are required to be able to sustain themselves, financially. The same projections…

Health care reforms haven’t eliminated LTC struggles

November 26, 2012April 30, 2013

Problems with long term care costs are one riddle that remains unsolved by the federal overhaul. Although the health care reforms of 2010 were designed to help to make coverage and care affordable and available to all Americans, the insurance news issue of long term care insurance and the rising expenses associated with it is not among the problems being dealt with by the changed laws. The question of how to pay for LTC costs is still nagging the country and its aging population. The health care reforms were designed…

Health insurance Medicaid expansion in South Dakota still undecided

November 14, 2012April 30, 2013

Dennis Daugaard on South Dakota Health Insurance Exchange

Providers of healthcare services in the state are urging lawmakers to broaden the program. With the election behind us, the healthcare reforms are now certain to take place, and states are now facing a tight deadline to make their health insurance system decisions, including whether or not they will be establishing their own exchanges, and if they will take part in the optional Medicaid expansions. At the moment, hospitals and doctors in South Dakota are asking the state to widen its Medicaid. They have been urging the state government to…

Health insurance law reforms still being resisted by Texas Republican leaders

November 13, 2012April 30, 2013

Texas Governor Rick Perry health insurance

The GOP in the Lone Star State have no intention of easily complying with the healthcare reforms. Even though the Affordable Care Act is now safe from appeal, the Republicans in Texas have made it quite clear that the new laws for health insurance will not budge on the decisions that they made prior to the election. Some of the biggest issues in question involve the online marketplace and the expansion of Medicaid. According to the Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, “Nothing changes from our perspective.” He doesn’t feel that…