Live Insurance News

Health insurance rate increase draws ire of California regulators

April 12, 2013April 10, 2013 Logan B.

Dave Jones California insurance commissioner insurance industry rates

Dave Jones criticizes health insurance company for rate increases California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has strong criticism against some of the state’s health insurance companies this week. The Commissioner, who has long been wrestling with insurers over the cost of health insurance coverage, denounced Anthem Blue Cross for the company’s latest rate increase proposal. Jones calls the rate increase “excessive” and “unreasonable.” In the past, rate increases have been targeted mostly at consumers, but the latest increase from Anthem Blue Cross is aimed at small businesses. Rate increase targets small…

Health insurance in Tennessee denies 1 in 4 applicants

February 1, 2013April 30, 2013

Insurers in the state are declining applications at a rate of 25 percent, according to recent data. Though there remains nearly a full year before the true health insurance impact of the healthcare reforms goes into effect, a coverage issue has developed in Tennessee, which is affecting one in every four applicants for coverage in the state. Within Tennessee, there is a rate of applications denied by insurers of 25 percent. Recent data from the coverage research firm Health Pocket, has identified this trend by health insurance companies to deny…

International insurance news from China shows rural medical coverage boost

January 8, 2013January 8, 2013 H. Cutner

Health plans for residents of areas outside of urban and suburban zones will receive larger government subsidies. On Monday, China made international insurance news with its latest announcement from the health minister of the country, Chen Zhu, which stated that the government of the nation would be increasing the subsidies that it provides to the medical coverage available to rural residents in 2013. The annual subsidy will be increased by an average of 40 yuan per person. The government subsidy that will now be available to rural residents in this…

Aetna makes a statement in the industry

March 19, 2012March 19, 2012 Julie Campbell

At this year’s Health 2.0 event, Mark Bertolini, the CEO of Aetna, gave a very positive outlook for the future of health insurance in his company as a result of the current and upcoming changes to the healthcare system in the United States. The reason is that the insurer has reinvented itself by providing a unique healthtech startup company exit opportunity after having made more than $1.5 billion in acquisitions in 2011. Those acquired companies are playing an important role in assisting healthcare organizations to make their first steps into…

Health insurance may face obsolescence at the hands of accountable care organizations

January 31, 2012January 31, 2012 S.Vagus

As the insurance news concerning the health industry begins to change, many are beginning to question how necessary insurance companies actually are. For centuries, insurers have provided access to policies that allow businesses and individuals to enjoy some degree of protection against unforeseeable events. People rely on insurance companies to handle the risks associated with daily life, but fall victim to the whims of these companies that are very much business oriented. When the Affordable Care Act was signed into law in 2010, it opened the way for a new…

Trustmark Life Insurance clashes with federal regulators over higher insurance rates

January 13, 2012May 5, 2013

Trustmark Life Insurance Co. has run afoul of federal insurance regulators who claim that the company has raised rates for health insurance to unreasonable levels. The insurer has raised rates in five states by at least 13%, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. These states are Arizona, Virginia, Wyoming, Pennsylvania and Alabama. The Affordable Care Act requires insurers to submit their rate proposals for federal review if they pass the 10% mark. The Department of Health and Human Services has ordered the insurer to rescind the rate…

Kaiser Permanente plans to pay consumers to lose weight

December 28, 2011November 29, 2013 Live Insurance News

Kaiser Permanente of Colorado has announced that policyholders may be eligible for cash bonuses if they are willing to lose weight. The insurance company’s new “Weigh and Win” program will award consumers with up to $150 every three months if they lose a certain amount of weight and keep it off. All adults are eligible to participate in the program, but participation is not mandatory for all Kaiser Permanente policyholders. The insurer claims that weight loss is as effective mammograms and cancer screenings in helping consumers manage their health. The…