Live Insurance News

Affordable Care Act deadline relaxed for the benefit of states

January 17, 2013January 17, 2013 S.Vagus

Affordable Care Act continues to generate controversy with health insurance exchanges The Affordable Care Act has been a point of contention throughout the U.S. since it was passed in 2010. One of the more problematic provisions of the fede4ral health care law requires each state to host a health insurance exchange. These exchanges are meant to be online marketplaces where consumers can find affordable coverage. The problem is that many states disagree with the basic precepts of the Affordable Care Act, thus oppose its provisions entirely, leading these states to…

Healthcare costs for individual patients are dropping

January 17, 2013April 30, 2013

Though medical spending is on the rise, the amount paid from consumer pockets is falling. According to data released regarding consumer driven national healthcare spending in 2011 – the most recent complete year that this information is available – while the total amount that is actually coming out of the patient’s pocket is shrinking. These new figures from the government show that Americans are paying less for their medical costs. This is the case, despite the fast growth of health insurance with high deductibles, and the increasing employee contributions to…

Health insurance exchanges can now partner up to help ease the process

January 15, 2013April 30, 2013

The HHS has announced the first of the approved partnerships between federal and state governments. The Department of Health and Human Services has given their conditional approval to the first of the states that have opted to run health insurance exchanges in a partnership between the federal and state governments. The HHS is hoping that there will soon be additional approvals of this nature to be issued. Arkansas and Delaware have become the first states in receipt of the conditional approval for the operation of health insurance exchanges that are…

Nebraska health insurance market may get new demographic per new legislation

January 12, 2013January 12, 2013 Dan

Nebraska health insurance may see influx of state lawmakers Nebraska lawmakers may soon find themselves purchasing health insurance policies in the same market as their constituents thanks to Legislative Bill 18. Senator Jeremy Nordquist introduced the bill this week in the hopes of changing the way policymakers purchase their health insurance coverage, creating more solidarity with the state’s residents. Currently, Nebraska lawmakers obtain their health insurance coverage from government sources. If the bill passes, the Nebraska health insurance market will change significantly in the near future. If the market is…

Healthcare study identifies possible savings of $2 trillion over 10 years

January 11, 2013April 30, 2013

The researchers are now calling for a new spending target that may be highly effective. According to a study that was just released on Thursday, the United States would be able to save $2 trillion from its spending on the healthcare system over the next 10 years if the federal government would help to influence the rapidly increasing costs in both the public and private sectors, so that they would more effectively align with economic growth. The study was conducted by the Commonwealth Fund, a nonpartisan group. In the report…