Live Insurance News

Alabama health insurance rates under scrutiny for first time since ACA

June 16, 2016June 15, 2016 G. Turner

The state has not undergone this process since it first implemented the Affordable Care Act. Alabama health insurance companies will face a new wave of scrutiny from state regulators when they seek to increase the rates they charge in 2017. This is the first time they will have undergone scrutiny for rate changes since the insurance exchange launched there in 2013. Obamacare’s regulations were meant to encourage states to implement insurance rate reviewing systems. The purpose of the reviews is to provide states with a means by which to consider…

Michigan health insurance premiums are getting cheaper

May 31, 2016May 28, 2016 H. Cutner

While rates have been on the rise across the country, residents of this state are staying affordable. According to the results of a recent study, Michigan health insurance rates are actually going to experience a small decrease in 2017, despite the fact that many other states across the country are watching their premiums grow increasingly expensive. This year has been relatively volatile in the ACA’s insurance exchanges, but that is not the case in Michigan. The Michigan health insurance premiums are not only remaining below the national average, but they…

Health insurance companies are withdrawing from many U.S. markets

May 18, 2016May 16, 2016 G. Turner

health insurance company online exchange

A number of insurers have been stepping out of a number of areas they have deemed to be unprofitable. The Affordable Care Act may be experiencing a shift in the health insurance companies that are continuing to participate in some marketplaces next year, particularly when it comes to those selling plans in rural areas. This may leave the residents of certain areas with health plan options from a single insurance company in 2017. According to state regulators, the online insurance exchanges that are central to the ACA in Alaska and…

Many consumers lack an understanding of health insurance terms

April 13, 2016April 12, 2016 S.Vagus

New study highlights the education problem that pervades the insurance sector Health insurance in the United States has evolved since the Affordable Care Act and many consumers may still be unaware of how marketplaces have changed. A new study from the Episcopal Health Foundation and the Rice University Baker Institute for Public Policy shows that many people still do not understand certain insurance terms. This lack of understanding is highest among those who have purchased coverage through state insurance exchanges. Some 1.3 million people have acquired coverage, but nearly half…

Single-payer system could secure health insurance for millions

March 28, 2016March 27, 2016 S.Vagus

Open letter highlights the potential benefits of a single-payer health care system Some 560 medical professionals and medical students have come together to issue an open letter concerning the renewed debate concerning health insurance in the United States. With the 2016 presidential campaign in full swing, politicians have been highlighting the merits of a single-payer health care system. Such a system involves the state, rather than insurance companies, paying for all health care costs. Many believe such a system would make it easier for people to acquire health insurance coverage.…

21 million people could lose their health insurance coverage under Trump plan

March 22, 2016March 20, 2016 Logan B.

Analysis shows repealing the Affordable Care Act could have dire consequences The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has released an analysis of the health care plan proposed by presidential hopeful Donald Trump. The analysis suggests that Trump’s plan could result in approximately 21 million people losing their health insurance coverage. It may also cost some $270 billion over 10 years, if it was implemented. Another analysis from the Congressional Budget Office suggests that as many as 22 million people could lose their health insurance coverage if Trump’s plan is…

20 million people have received health insurance through the Affordable Care Act

March 11, 2016March 10, 2016 S.Vagus

Health care reform has made insurance coverage more accessible An estimated 20 million people in the United States have managed to acquire health insurance coverage since the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services. Over the past few years, the health care reform law has been subject to harsh criticism, with opponents of the legislation threatening to repeal the law in favor of a different solution. The Obama Administration, however, notes that more people have access…