Archive for the ‘Maryland’ Category

Maryland. A bill pending in the state would allow young adults to continue enrollment in their parents’ health care plan until age 30. Current law allows dependent individuals to remain on a parent’s plan until they attain age 25. By expanding this to age 30, graduate students, veterans returning to school, and young adults who have been laid off and are seeking employment would be helped. Similar laws exist in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. For more information, visit http://www.mdinsurance.state.md.us/sa/jsp/Mia.jsp.

The highest appellate courts of Maryland and Montana handed down decisions relating to the method by which insured group health plans and the personal insurance protection (PIP) benefits are to be coordinated. In both cases, a group plan refused to cover medical expenses for which PIP reimbursement is provided through auto liability policies. The courts came up with different results. Read more

High courts of Maryland and Montana handed down contrasting decisions relating to coordination of insured group-health and personal insurance protection (PIP) benefits. in both cases, a group plan refused to cover medical expenses for which PIP reimbursement was provided through auto liability policies. In Maryland, a court gave precedence to a provision saying group plans can coordinate with any entity that paid health expenses. Montana’s insurance commissioner threw out Blue Cross’ (BCBS) group-plan enrollment forms, which reserved the right to not pay for an injured member who received or benefits from liability insurers. The court rebuffed BCBS’ challenge, ruling that the Blue would be entitled to subrogation only after it paid benefits to its insured.

The following article was submitted from Kevin Chapman of  Boon-Chapman

BALTIMORE — In the fight over a health-care overhaul, Maryland’s experience with setting hospital rates suggests the federal government could realize savings on health spending, but at a price of more regulation for health providers. Read more

by Amanda Bronstad of The National Law Journal, www.law.com

An association representing the restaurant industry has filed a petition for writ of certiorari before the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit upholding a law requiring employers in San Francisco to provide health insurance to their employees. Read more

Recently, in the state of Washington, a law was passed that prohibits workplace discrimination based upon sexual orientation. When an employee protested the denial of health care coverage to her partner by her employer’s self funded ERISA plan, she brought the matter to court. The court in turn determined that the law could not be enforced against private employers with self funded plans, as it conflicted with ERISA. Read more