Live Insurance News

Healthcare reforms in Illinois approved

February 19, 2013February 18, 2013 H. Cutner

Federal officials have given their conditional approval to the health insurance exchange in the state. Illinois has just received the conditional approval from the federal government for the healthcare reforms that it is making in terms of establishing a health insurance marketplace that will open for thousands of residents of the state starting on October 1 in order to allow for the purchase of coverage that will begin on January 1, 2014. This is a major step in the state for its ability to carry out the Affordable Care Act…

Health insurance exchange may not draw as many employers as hoped

February 19, 2013March 15, 2014 Logan B.

Businesses are expected to opt out, which could lead the cost to rise for those who are participating. Both state and federal officials, as well as consumer advocates, are now beginning to voice concerns that businesses that have workers that are relatively young and healthy will choose to opt out of the health insurance marketplace. This will be done to help to avoid the minimum standards for coverage as prescribed by the healthcare reforms. Though these businesses may choose to try to avoid this health insurance regulation in order to…

Health insurance exchange receives a boost in Chicago from Sebelius visit

February 14, 2013April 30, 2013

The appearance on Wednesday was specifically designed to give the marketplace positive push. Kathleen Sebelius, the U.S. Health and Human Services secretary, made an appearance in Chicago, yesterday, in order to launch the rebranded health insurance exchanges as coverage “marketplaces”. Under this new term, the state level online resources will still be providing the same services. A central element of the healthcare reform law that was first implemented in 2010, these health insurance exchanges are meant to provide individuals and small businesses with an online location where they can compare…

Health insurance exchange plan from Mississippi rejected

February 11, 2013April 30, 2013

Mike Chaney, Mississippi Health Insurance Commissioner

This makes the state the first to have its healthcare reform proposal rejected by the federal government. On Friday, Mississippi became the first among all of the states to have its health insurance exchange proposal rejected by the federal government. According to federal officials, this was due to the opposition that it experienced by the state’s governor. Republican Governor Phil Bryant’s opposition to Mississippi’s health insurance marketplace proposal is being blamed for its eventual rejection by the federal government. The state received a letter from the U.S. Department of Health…

Health insurance compromise offered by Obama over controversial birth control coverage

February 4, 2013April 30, 2013

Religious groups continue their objections regarding this element of the Affordable Care Act. Among the largest objections voiced about the healthcare reforms that have been – and that are currently being – implemented across the country has arisen from religious organizations that do not feel that they should be obligated to pay for birth control for their workers through their employee sponsored health insurance plans. Friday, President Obama put forth a compromise regarding coverage for contraception. This most recent proposal focuses on a regulation that would have two primary elements.…

Health insurance adjustment suggested by Massachusetts Governor

January 11, 2013April 18, 2016 H. Cutner

Gov. Patrick has suggested a few tweaks to the current law that may eliminate a healthcare struggle. The implementation of the core element of the healthcare reforms are now less than a year away, and the Governor of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick, has proposed an adjustment to the state’s own healthcare access law from 2006, which would apply a penalty to employers who are not making a “fair” contribution to the health insurance benefits of their employees. The alteration to the law would be called the “employer responsibility contribution”. That new…

Health insurance fee may be added to reforms

December 12, 2012December 12, 2012 Julie Campbell

The healthcare overhaul may include a new expense that could reach the wallets of consumers. The overhaul of the health insurance system may now involve a new $63 per person fee that is designed to help to pad the cost of providing coverage to individuals who have a pre-existing medical condition. This additional charge was worked into a recent regulation that was created for the system. According to employers, who are greatly displeased with the health insurance fee, it could lead to tens of millions of dollars for the biggest…