Latest News + Info
The latest information relating to the health insurance industry.
Health plans for high-risk patients attracting fewer, costing more than expected
In the spring, the Medicare program's chief actuary predicted that 375,000 people would sign up for the pool plans by the end of the year. Early last month, the Health and Human Services Department reported that just 8,000 people had enrolled. HHS officials declined...
Healthcare Reform: How it Affects Your Business
Business News Daily reports: "There’s good news and there’s bad news when it comes to the implications of the new health care law for small businesses. “No doubt, the law does some good things by bringing insurance to people who are sick and couldn’t afford it, and by...
‘Death panels’ controversy: Is Obama avoiding Congress?
The Christan Science Monitor reports: "In 2010, Obama's health-care law added annual wellness visits to the range of Medicare benefits. Now, the new provision would include the “voluntary advance care planning” as a part of those annual visits. The Obama...
New Standard Individual and Small Group Health Applications for Illinois
Beginning January 1, 2011, the Illinois Department of Insurance (DOI) is requiring that all health insurance carriers use standard health applications in the individual and small group markets. Click the links below to download the final version of these forms for...
Health Insurers Must Justify Premium Increases of More Than 10 Percent
Bloomberg reports: "U.S. health insurers led by United Health Group Inc. and Humana Inc. must provide justification for any planned premium increases of more than 10 percent next year, according to federal rules proposed today. States can reject higher insurer rates,...
Death by a thousand courts
The Daily Caller reports: “Death by a thousand cuts,” a slow form of torture and execution that originated in Imperial China, could aptly describe what appears to be happening to the recently enacted health care reform law. One group appearing to hold a knife is the...
Judge Hints He May Rule Against Health Law
The New York Times reports: "A federal judge asserted on Thursday that it would be “a giant leap” for the Supreme Court to accept the Obama administration’s defense of a central provision of the new health care law, suggesting he may become the second judge to strike...
Obama has fallback options even if courts strike down historic health care overhaul law
The Associated Press reports: "Opponents of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law are a cheering a federal court ruling that one of its core provisions is unconstitutional. They may not realize that Obama has a fallback option that also could do the job....
Compilation from Aetna of developments in Washington, D.C. and state legislatures across the country
Aetna reports: "Week of December 13, 2010 As policymakers focus greater attention on how to control health care spending, they would be wise to examine a new study published in the journal Health Affairs. A study published in the December edition found that per capita...
Uncertain mandate on health care
The Chicago Tribune reports: "The Obama administration's massive health insurance reform plan had to pass through numerous minefields before it finally became law. Now it has entered a new and equally uncertain part of the journey — the path through the courts....