A new law that will expand the authority of the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance has taken effect this week. The law was introduced last year and won approval from the state’s legislators. Governor Tom Corbett signed the bill, Act 134, into law late last year, with an enactment date of March 21, 2012. The law is nearly identical to similar legislation in California that gave regulators more authority over rate proposals coming from insurance companies. Legislators believe that new authority granted to the Department of Insurance will help protect consumers…
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Pennsylvania to answer consumer questions regarding state’s health insurance exchange
As Pennsylvania continues its slow and steady march toward building a health insurance exchange, residents of the state are coming to the Department of Insurance with questions about how the exchange will affect them. The state’s Department of Insurance has been awarded a $1 million grant from the federal government to help keep consumers informed over the matter. With the money, the department has hired additional staff, whose purpose it is to answer the questions consumers have about the exchange and the Affordable Care Act. Pennsylvania has stood in opposition…
Read MorePennsylvania insurance regulators move to liquidate First Sealord Surety Insurance
The Pennsylvania Department of Insurance has announced that it will be liquidating First Sealord Surety Insurance. The state’s Commonwealth Court yesterday approved a petition from the department that was filed last year regarding liquidation of the insurer. Insurance Commissioner Michael Consedine cites the insurer’s inability to pay off its debt and meet the needs of its policyholders as the reason for the liquidation. The insurer saw steep drops in its surplus capital in recent years, sealing its fate in an unforgiving regulatory environment. The approval of the petition allows the Department…
Read MorePennsylvania workers’ compensation insurance costs drop by an average of 5.7%
Amidst news of insurance rate hikes from throughout the country, the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance offers a change of pace. State regulators have announced the approval of a 5.7% decrease in workers’ compensation costs. The rate reduction is estimated to save the state’s employers approximately $160 million. The 5.7% decrease is a reflection of average reductions throughout the state and will not affect all consumers in Pennsylvania. Some will see higher rates while others see no changes at all, according to regulators. Insurance Commissioner Mike Consedine believes that the rate…
Read MoreTrustmark Life Insurance clashes with federal regulators over higher insurance rates
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…
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