Archive for the ‘Insurance Tips’ Category
Federal Appeals Court Upholds Individual Health Insurance Mandate
June 27th, 2011
A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday upheld President Barack Obama’s landmark healthcare law that requires Americans to buy insurance as constitutional, an early victory for the White House.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, based in Cincinnati, said the “minimum coverage provision is a valid exercise of legislative power by Congress under the Commerce Clause” of the U.S. Const
Tags: Appeals Court, Insurance
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Insurer Investigators Donate $10K to Memorial Fund for Slain Louisiana Investigators
June 25th, 2011
The nation’s largest association of insurer fraud investigators has contributed $10,000 to a memorial fund honoring two Louisiana investigators who were killed in the line of duty June 7.
The board of directors of the International Association of Special Investigation Units authorized the donation to the fund created by the Louisiana Insurance Department in the wake of the murders of Rhett Jeansonne and Kim Sledge.
The insurance department investigators were shot by an agent they were seeking to interview in Ville Platte, La.
“They were members of IASIU and dedicated professionals. IASIU appreciates the support of the Louisiana insurance department over the years. The
Tags: Louisiana, Louisiana Investigators, Memorial Fund
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AHRQ News And Numbers: Employees’ Share Of Health Plan Premium Costs Up Dramatically
June 24th, 2011
Employees of private-sector companies contributed up to 121 percent more in 2009 for their yearly share of their employer-sponsored health insurance coverage than they did in 2001, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
By comparison, the total average annual premium for employer-sponsored health plans, which includes both the cost to the worker and to his or her employer, rose at a slower pace during the same period.
Data from the federal agency found that the average annual premium share for workers with employee-plus-one coverage soared 121 percent – from $1,070 to $2,363, while the average annual contribution for workers with family coverage went up nearly 100 percent – from $1,741 to $3,474. Read full post…
Tags: Health, Health Plan
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Casualty Actuaries Should Consider Foreign Customs, Economics, Politics
June 23rd, 2011
A bulletin from the Insurance Information Institute notes that a recent Casualty Actuarial Society seminar advises actuaries that when it comes to pricing global reinsurance business, it’s important to remember that “all risks are local.”
Athula Alwis, associate vice president and actuary with Freedom Specialty Insurance Company in New York City, pointed out that “actuaries need to understand the nuances of foreign customs, economics and politics when pricing risk abroad. These items differ greatly from what is found in the United States, and are examples of the differences that actuaries need to consider and work within.” Alwis and Andrew Marcell, CEO of global specialties at Guy Carpenter, spoke on “Pricing Global Risks” at the CAS Seminar on Reinsurance. The moderator was
Tags: Actuaries, Actuaries Should
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Affordable Care Act Protects Consumers, Maintains Insurance Options, Helps Transition To New Marketplace In 2014
June 21st, 2011
Today, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance to allow limited benefit, or “mini-med” plans, to apply for or renew a temporary waiver from annual limit restrictions through 2013. In 2014, annual limits for new health plans will be banned as high-quality, affordable, and comprehensive health insurance plans are made available through Health Insurance Exchanges. Until then, annual limits are phased out in order to preserve access to needed benefits and the affordability of coverage. CMS has granted temporary waivers from the annual limits provision of the law for plans that demonstrate that compliance with the phase-out of limits would result in a significant decrease in access to benefits or a significant increase in premiums. Read full post…
Tags: New, New Marketplace
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Gender Disparity In Nuclear Stress Test Referrals
June 13th, 2011
More women than men are unnecessarily referred for nuclear stress tests
- Researchers identify gender disparities in the appropriate use of nuclear stress tests
- More women than men are unnecessarily referred for nuclear stress tests
- Majority of inappropriate studies ordered by primary care physicians
New research from cardiologists at Rhode Island and The Miriam hospitals suggests a possible gender disparity in how patients are referred for nuclear stress tests, an imaging technique that measures blood flow to the heart muscle both at rest and during periods of stress, such as exercise.
Tags: Nuclear Stress, Nuclear Stress Test, Stress Test, Test
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New Report: Health Reform Essential To Young Adults-Nearly Half Can’t Afford Needed Care, Forty Percent Struggling With Medical Debt
May 28th, 2011
Young adults ages 19-29 are struggling to get the health care they need more than almost any other age group, demonstrating the need for Affordable Care Act provisions, some already in place, that will expand health insurance and make it more affordable, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report. The report found that in 2010, 45 percent of young adults couldn’t afford the care they needed, meaning they didn’t fill a prescription, didn’t go to the doctor when they were sick, or skipped a test, treatment, or follow-up visit, up from 32 percent who went without needed care because of cost in 2001.
The Affordable Care Act is already making a difference for young adults. Read full post…
Tags: Percent Struggling, Struggling
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Affordable Care Act Helps Fight Unreasonable Health Insurance Premium Increases
May 19th, 2011
Today, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a final regulation to ensure that large health insurance premium increases will be thoroughly reviewed, and consumers will have access to clear information about those increases. Combined with other important protections from the Affordable Care Act, these new rules will help lower insurance costs by moderating premium hikes and provide consumers with greater value for their premium dollar. In 2011, this will mean rate increases of 10-percent or more must be reviewed by state or federal officials.
“Effective rate review works – it does so by protecting consumers from unreasonable rate increases and bringing needed transparency to the marketplace,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Read full post…
Tags: Increases, Insurance Premium, Insurance Premium Increases, Premium Increases
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