Tag: Health Care Reform

Alabama Legislature blocks health insurance exchange bill

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Alabama Health Insurance

Legislative roadblocks keep exchange from moving forward As time goes by, more states are working to develop their mandatory health insurance exchanges. These insurance marketplaces are required by the Affordable Care Act, and each state must have a fully functioning, self sustaining exchange in place by 2014. Though the fate of the Affordable Care Act is currently pending a ruling from the Supreme Court, states have been working to comply with the law in order to avoid intervention from the federal government. In order for states to move forward with…

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Alabama governor vows to veto health insurance exchange bill

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Governor Bentley

Legislators making progress on exchange but are facing strong opposition Lawmakers in Alabama are working on getting a head start on the Affordable Care Act by establishing a health insurance exchange as quickly as possible. The House has recently passed a bill that lays out a framework for the exchange system, believing that this structure will expedite efforts to build a robust system. The health insurance exchange is expected to bring affordable coverage to thousands of Alabama residents, but that does not mean it is without its opponents, the chief…

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Massachusetts residents to see insurance rate increases

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Ohio health insurance

Regulators approve rate increase proposal The Massachusetts Division of Insurance has announced the approval of a health insurance rate increase throughout the state. The increase is expected to have an effect on individuals and small businesses and will come from one of the state’s largest insurance companies. Initially, insurers had sought approval for large rate increases, typically 10% or higher. State regulators, however, have succeeded in keeping rate hikes at or below the 2% threshold for nearly two years running. With health care reform bringing significant changes to health insurance…

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What else could be thrown out by the Supreme Court after the health care reform?

Health Care Reform

The Supreme Court is deciding whether or not the PPACA is constitutional, but there could be a great deal more to follow. The entire country awaits the Supreme Court’s decision about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and whether or not its health care reform should be considered to be constitutional, but many are concerned that this is not the only thing at risk of being thrown out. The ruling is expected to be made before the completion of June, at which time the states will all begin to…

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Kaiser Foundation report predicts health insurance rebates for U.S. workers

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Health Insurance refund

Rebates spurred by Affordable Care Act The Kaiser Family Foundation has released a new report that shows U.S. consumers can expect to see large rebates from health insurance companies. These rebates come courtesy of the federal Affordable Care Act. One of the law’s provisions, known as medical loss ratio, requires insurers to pay no less than 80% of the money they collect from premiums on improving medical care. If companies cannot meet this standard, they must return this money to policyholders. The Kaiser report notes that those receiving health insurance…

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