Lawmakers in Massachusetts approve rate freeze for the state’s unemployment insurance plans

Massachusetts lawmakers have passed a $130 million spending plan this week. The legislation includes a provision that freezes the unemployment insurance rate that businesses have to pay. This is the fourth consecutive year that lawmakers have put a freeze on the insurance rate, hoping to spare the state’s businesses from costly and, at times, excessive rate increases from insurance companies. Legislators believe that the rate freeze will help stimulate the state’s economy, as businesses will be saving approximately $220 per employee on insurance coverage. The nation’s economy is still showing…

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Massachusetts certifies its first two cooperative insurance purchasing groups

More than a year after Massachusetts passed a law allowing for the state’s first cooperative insurance groups to operate in the state, two organizations have been certified as purchasing cooperatives. The Retailers Association of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Association of Chamber of Commerce will now be able to negotiate with health insurance companies in the hopes of producing more affordable insurance products. The groups hope to attract thousands of new consumers with these products and alleviate some of the financial burdens that have been damaging the state’s economy. Small businesses…

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