Tag: Alabama health insurance

Alabama State Employees Insurance Board facing “fiscal cliff”

Nordstrom
Alabama Employees Insruance

State Employees Insurance Board foresees problems with the Affordable Care Act Alabama is facing a serious “fiscal cliff,” according to William Ashmore, CEO of the State Employees Insurance Board. Ashmore’s concerns largely revolve around the Affordable Care Act and what impact it may have on the health insurance being provided to employees of the state. Next year, the law is expected to enact new changes to the health insurance market, with some of those changes targeting the health insurance plans of state workers. These changes are expected to bring about…

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Alabama health insurance exchange nixed

S.Vagus
Health Insurance rates and care

Alabama health insurance exchange plans put to rest by Governor Bentley Alabama will not build its own health insurance exchange, according to Governor Robert Bentley. The Governor released a short press release this week detailing his views on the exchange program and why the state will not build its own. The state is required to host a health insurance exchange per the Affordable Care Act. The state can, of course, opt out of building its own exchange, but the federal government will be responsible for building the Alabama health insurance…

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Alabama’s SEHIP may be facing economic troubles

S.Vagus
Employees Health Insurance Plan

SEHIP executives predict financial turmoil for 2013 fiscal year The Alabama State Employee’s Health Insurance Plan (SEHIP) may be heading for economic turmoil.  SEHIP executives announced this week that they expect the insurance program to spend more money than it collects in the 2013 fiscal year. The plan currently covers 51,000 active and retired public workers, giving them access to affordable health insurance coverage. If the plan faces economic troubles in the future, the cost of the coverage it provides to these consumers may become more expensive, if it is…

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Alabama Legislature blocks health insurance exchange bill

S.Vagus
Alabama Health Insurance

Legislative roadblocks keep exchange from moving forward As time goes by, more states are working to develop their mandatory health insurance exchanges. These insurance marketplaces are required by the Affordable Care Act, and each state must have a fully functioning, self sustaining exchange in place by 2014. Though the fate of the Affordable Care Act is currently pending a ruling from the Supreme Court, states have been working to comply with the law in order to avoid intervention from the federal government. In order for states to move forward with…

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Alabama governor vows to veto health insurance exchange bill

S.Vagus
Governor Bentley

Legislators making progress on exchange but are facing strong opposition Lawmakers in Alabama are working on getting a head start on the Affordable Care Act by establishing a health insurance exchange as quickly as possible. The House has recently passed a bill that lays out a framework for the exchange system, believing that this structure will expedite efforts to build a robust system. The health insurance exchange is expected to bring affordable coverage to thousands of Alabama residents, but that does not mean it is without its opponents, the chief…

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Alabama Insurance Exchange Commission to submit recommendations on a state-run exchange system by the end of this week

Alabama is moving closer to establishing its own health insurance exchange as the state’s Health Insurance Exchange Study Commission finishes its work this week. The agency was formed earlier this year at the order of Governor Robert Bentley. The agency was tasked with determining the proper course of action to take when the time comes to make an exchange program. The Commission plans to submit its proposals for the program later this week, at which point the state Legislature will vote on the fate of a state-run insurance exchange. Exact…

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Lowest health insurance competition found to be in Alabama

Nordstrom

According to a recent report from the Kaiser Family Foundation, the least competitive market for health insurance in the United States is in Alabama. The Kaiser Family Foundation is a nonprofit health policy organization and released the report which showed that 86 percent of the policies in the individual market in Alabama were sold by Blue Cross Blue Shield. In the small group market in that state, that insurer sold 96 percent of the policies. Though the report did indicate that individual insurers hold the majority of the insurance markets…

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