cmonfils | January 22, 2012
Today, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that, “Trustmark Life Insurance Company has proposed unreasonable health insurance premium increases in five states—Alabama, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wyoming. The excessive rate hikes would affect nearly 10,000 residents across these five states.”
cmonfils | January 22, 2012
Health insurance premium increases in five states have been deemed “unreasonable” by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today.
After independent expert review, HHS determined that Trustmark Life Insurance Company has proposed unreasonable health insurance premium increases in five states—Alabama, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wyoming. The excessive rate hikes would affect nearly 10,000 residents across these five states.
cmonfils | December 2, 2011
Now that the deficit-reduction supercommittee has failed to reach agreement, healthcare providers are dealing with the reality that things could get worse before they get worse.
http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20111128/MAGAZINE/311289960/cloudy-outlook
cmonfils | October 26, 2011
from Spencer’s Benefits Reports: For the last few years, states have been leading the way toward more comprehensive health care coverage to ensure that more people have or can obtain health insurance. With the passage of federal health care reform, states will have increasing responsibilities in regard to employer-provided health insurance benefits. Spencer’s Benefits Reports continues to provide regular updates about state health care reform.
cmonfils | September 16, 2011
Coordination of Benefits
Employee Benefits Series THOMPSON July 2011 | VOL. 19, No.3
This case involved the right of a state Medicaid agency to recover the Medicaid benefits paid for two individuals injured by third parties. Under federal law, when a Medicaid recipient settles with a tortfeasor for an amount less than the full damages suffered, Medicaid’s share of the settlement may not exceed the portion of the settlement that represents the Medicaid participant’s medical expenses. The court in this case ruled that the program would be limited to recovering discounted charges actually paid, and not the amount billed. But the court refused to eliminate the agency’s lien against future medical expenses the participant might incur that will be paid by Medicaid. (more…)
Adam V. Russo | June 28, 2010
Arizona. A new law conditionally appropriates $400 million to prevent the June 15 repeal of the state’s KidsCare health care program for children. The legislation would allow the program to continue to provide health care to thousands of children and 310,000 low income people for at least six more months to December 31. For more information, visit http://www.azahcccs.gov/applicants/categories/KidsCare.aspx.
Adam V. Russo | June 28, 2010
Twenty states so far have rejected federal funds to administer a high-risk insurance pool, as designed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The high-risk pool would extend coverage to state residents unable to purchase insurance because of preexisting medical conditions. In these states, the federal government will be responsible for creating and running a high-risk pool on behalf of the state, as mandated by the Affordable Care Act. The 20 states are: Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Two states, Oregon and Utah, have not indicated whether they will be running their own high-risk pool or if they will let the HHS run it for them. The remaining 28 states have decided they will run their own temporary high-risk pool. For more information, visit http://www.hhs.gov/ociio/initiative/hi_risk_pool_facts.html. (more…)
Adam V. Russo | November 25, 2009
Employer cuts costs by allowing workers to ‘earn’ lower rates
Joanne Wojcik
PHOENIX—Safeway Inc. has reduced its health care cost increases by more than $150 million since 2005 using an approach that closely resembles how auto insurers rate drivers. (more…)
