Live Insurance News

State-run health insurance exchanges may lack funds

November 28, 2014November 25, 2014 Nordstrom

Exchanges in some states do not have the access to financial resources they need to remain stable Some states may not have the money they need to operate their own health insurance exchanges. The Affordable Care Act gave states throughout the country the opportunity to build and operate their own insurance exchanges, but only 14 opted to do so. The federal government provided billions of dollars in funding to help exchanges take form in these states, but these exchanges also need to be self-sufficient and operate as effective and profitable…

Health insurance study reveals the true feelings of employers

November 24, 2014November 22, 2014 G. Turner

The results of recent research provide insight into the way that companies feel about providing coverage to workers. Even though the cost of medical care has been continuing to rise and the pressure from the Affordable Care Act is ever present in the air, employers continue to think of health insurance for their employees as a high priority. The health care reform has added some new requirements that will be impacting many smaller businesses. The study results have indicated that while the priority of employee health insurance remains high, the…

Health insurance enrollments at Covered California launched on Saturday

November 17, 2014November 15, 2014 G. Turner

Residents of the state were able to begin using the service over the weekend in order to purchase their health plans. Covered California has once again opened its doors for residents of the state who are seeking to purchase their health insurance plans in order to comply with the requirements of the Affordable Care Act as it enters into its second round of open enrollment. The deadline for coverage to start, change or renew on January 15, 2015 is going to be December 15, 2014. This means that Californians now…

Health insurance misunderstandings may lead to bad choices, study

November 5, 2014November 4, 2014 H. Cutner

Research has revealed that there is a gap between the reality of coverage and the average consumer’s perception. The findings that have been published by the American Institutes for Research, from a recent study, have revealed the outcome of an evaluation of the confidence level that people have when they are selecting their health insurance coverage when compared to their actual skills and knowledge on the subject. The open enrollment for buying a health plan is now less than two weeks away and perception may not match reality. As people…

Texas insurance alternative offered by health sharing ministries

October 30, 2014October 28, 2014 H. Cutner

Open enrollment for next year’s coverage is less than a month away and now new options are arising. The Texas insurance market is now seeing a new and more active participant, now that the 2015 open enrollment is rapidly approaching, as the so-called health sharing ministries are seeking to bring in new members who would like to have coverage but either want an alternative to the traditional plan or cannot afford one. This is a critical time in which to market health insurance, as consumers prepare to make their 2015…

Insurance rates from Anthem too high, says California regulator

October 28, 2014October 25, 2014 Julie Campbell

Dave Jones California insurance commissioner insurance industry rates

Commissioner Dave Jones has stated that policyholders could have saved $33 million if the insurer lowered premiums. A recent statement from California Commissioner Dave Jones expressed that the 10 percent increase in insurance rates at Anthem Blue Cross for small businesses is excessive and that the result to its policyholders was a costly one. The Insurance Commissioner in the state made the announcement a month and a half before the Prop 45 vote. During the last stretch of time for the battle with regards to Proposition 45, Commissioner Jones criticized…

Health insurance for business customers to be sold at Sam’s Club

October 27, 2014October 25, 2014 G. Turner

At the same time that these shoppers are buying large sized containers of coffee, they may also shop for coverage. Small businesses are now beginning to make the decisions that are required of them in order to be able to comply with the Affordable Care Act, which states that employers must offer health insurance to their workers, and now Sam’s Club is going to enter into the market that sells this coverage. The Wal-Mart Stores wholesale retailer division has announced that it will start selling private plans. It will be…