Live Insurance News

Health insurance for employees is on the rise in Massachusetts

May 16, 2013May 14, 2013 G. Turner

Employer sponsored coverage is becoming more common among workers within the state. According to the data in a recent report, the percentage of employees in Massachusetts who are opting to take part in their employer’s sponsored health insurance coverage instead of taking home a larger amount of pay has increased since 2006, when the state overhauled its medical coverage system. The report also suggested that the federal Affordable Care Act may replicate this same result. The share of employees who have health insurance through their employment increased from having been…

Health insurance enrollment in Florida is about to take off

May 14, 2013May 25, 2013 H. Cutner

The state is preparing for a sudden influx of registrations for the coverage ahead of the start of next year. Florida is getting ready for a massive amount of registration within the state for health insurance that is required by the Affordable Care Act, and the federal government is planning to help to handle this challenge by hiring hundreds of “navigators” over the next few months in order to assist consumers. It is expected that up to 3.5 million uninsured residents of Florida will purchase coverage by January. It is…

Health insurance rates will rise for some in Massachusetts

May 13, 2013May 25, 2013 G. Turner

The cost of the coverage will be rising by an estimated 2.5 percent, on average, this summer. Policies that are purchased or renewed by individuals and small businesses, as of July 1, in Massachusetts, will be facing an increase in their health insurance rates at an average of 2.5 percent. This is a lower increase than the rate hike that was seen for the policies renewing in the current quarter. The increase that was experienced by health insurance policyholders who renewed or purchased during the current quarter had been an…

Health insurance premiums are a motivator to live healthier

May 11, 2013May 25, 2013 Julie Campbell

A recent study has shown that coverage costs can encourage people to exercise more and get fit. There was a great deal of controversy that arose when a health insurance company first started charging higher rates for individuals who were obese, but whether or not it is deemed appropriate or fair, a recent study has shown that it can give people the motivation they need to bring their weight down to healthier levels. When policyholders were given the choice to lose weight or pay more, they quickly started dieting. According…

Health insurance rates increases of extreme levels may be premature

May 9, 2013May 7, 2013 G. Turner

Consumers are cautioned not to take estimates of hikes in premiums seriously, just yet. As the health insurance marketplaces are just being established and the very first estimates are starting to be released regarding the impact of these exchanges on the cost of the coverage, experts and officials are cautioning consumers not to take the numbers at face value, just yet. There are many different factors to consider, and they have not yet all been applied to the estimates. For example, in April, Maryland released the premiums that would be…

Health insurance research shows coverage and being healthy are not the same

May 3, 2013March 1, 2014 H. Cutner

The Oregon Health Experiment has demonstrated that even people with a plan get sick and die. A study about the relationship between health insurance coverage and actually being healthy was conducted in Oregon and showed that having a plan doesn’t necessarily guarantee wellness. The project was lead by Amy Finkelstein, from MIT, and showed that the two are not the same. Called the Oregon Health Experiment, the research indicated that while some people who have coverage live long and healthy lives, others get sick and die. It also determined that…

Health insurance coverage decision in Washington blocks abortion coverage

April 19, 2013April 30, 2013

Court rules mandatory health insurance is not fair

The State Senate has stopped a discussion on a plan that would make this coverage a requirement. The Washington state Senate – a coalition dominated by Republicans – has just stopped a discussion for a plan in the state to add a requirement for health insurance companies to provide coverage for abortion. The procedural motion was voted down after a heated exchange in the chamber. Some of the Democrats from the Washington Senate had moved to add a health insurance bill before a primary deadline. They said that they had…