Adam V. Russo | October 3, 2008
In a decision that could set the stage for a test of the supremacy of a longstanding federal labor law, a panel of federal judges found Tuesday that San Francisco had the right to charge employers to help pay for its universal health care plan, the first in the nation.
The ruling, by a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, affirms a January decision by the same panel that required all but the smallest businesses in the city to contribute to employees’ health care costs or pay a fee to help the city provide care. San Francisco officials hailed the decision as a major victory for its plan, called Healthy San Francisco, to provide health care for some 73,000 uninsured residents. (more…)
Category: 9th, California, ERISA |
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Adam V. Russo | October 3, 2008
The parents of a minor child sued their health plan insurer when it denied their daughter’s claims for benefits. The parents argued that the insurer failed to comply with a state external review law for insurers, which required an independent review process for denied claims. The insurer asked the court to dismiss the claim, arguing that the state external review law was preempted by ERISA. (more…)
Category: 9th, ERISA, Preemption |
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Adam V. Russo | October 1, 2008
Many families are paying higher out-of-pocket expenses for both health insurance premiums and health care services. As a result, paying for medical care has become more difficult than ever, likely leading many families to make difficult financial trade-offs and increasingly forgo needed medical care. (more…)
Category: News |
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Adam V. Russo | October 1, 2008
Americans are seeing unusual options in their health provider networks, such as doctors and hospitals in Singapore, Costa Rica and other foreign destinations. In an effort to control rising costs, a growing number of insurers and employers are giving people the choice to seek treatment in other countries, a practice known as medical tourism. Until recently, most Americans who traveled abroad for medical care were uninsured, or were seeking procedures not covered by insurance, such as cosmetic dentistry or aesthetic surgery. Now, a handful of plans are beginning to cover treatment overseas for heart surgery, hip and knee replacements and other major surgical procedures. (more…)
Category: News |
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