Healthcare

Insurance Agents Cheer State Commissioners’ Vote on Medical Loss Ratio

July 1, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> In a move being applauded by insurance agents, a task force of state insurance regulators has recommended that states support legislation to protect agent and broker commissions from the expense cap imposed on health insurers by the new federal healthcare law’s medical loss ratio (MLR).</p> <p> A health insurance advisors task force of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) voted to back H.R. 1206, the Professional Health Insurance Advisors Act of 2011, which was introduced in Congress by Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich.</p>

Health Insurance Brokers Win A Round

July 1, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Score one for the health insurance brokers <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/06/07/137030776/health-insurance-brokers-fight-for-relevance">in their fight</a> to avoid going the way of buggy-whip manufacturers.<br /> <br /> A task force of the <a href="http://www.naic.org/">National Association of Insurance Commissioners</a> voted Thursday to endorse legislation that would effectively spare their commissions from being counted as administrative costs.<br /> <br /> And consumer groups aren't happy about it.<br /> <br />

A Loophole a Day

June 21, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <strong>Insurance companies try to wriggle out of a health-care reform requirement to spend more money on doctors and patients.</strong></p> <p> A key provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act forces insurance companies to devote more of the premiums they collect from customers to actual clinical care. For consumers, that makes sense: What they think they’re buying with each dollar they spend on health insurance is the care they receive at doctor’s offices and hospitals they visit.</p>

Health insurers threaten to take their ball and go home

June 14, 2011  ·  Carmen Balber

<p>

What Your Credit Card Won’t Let You Buy

May 31, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="margin-left-big "> <div class="col6wide articleHeadlineBox"> <strong>Some card companies have policies that restrict even legal purchases.</strong></div> </div> <div class="smArticlePage"> <div class="insetContent embedType-image imageFormat-F"> <div class="insetTree"> <div class="insettipUnit"> <img alt="[smcreditcard]" border="0" height="226" hspace="0" src="http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/PF-AA574_smcred_F_20110527171307.jpg" vspace="0" width="571" /> <cite>Getty Images</cite></div> </div> </div> <p>

Our Hall of Famers

May 18, 2011  ·  Jamie Court

<p> On June 4th, at our <a href="http://www.rageforjustice.org">Rage for Justice Awards</a>, Consumer Watchdog will induct two remarkable patient advocates into the select group in Consumer Watchdog's <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/rage-justice-awards">Hall of Fame</a>.</p> <p> Dana Christensen and Hilda Sarkisyan will be welcomed into the Hall of Farme for their heroic efforts to raise awareness about health insurance company abuses.</p>

Health Reform and Insurance Regulation: Can’t Have One Without the Other

May 5, 2011  ·  Jamie Court

Health insurance premiums are increasing at a rate faster than medical inflation, especially in the volatile individual and small group markets, and worker incomes have not kept pace. The passage of the federal reform law triggered further outsized increases by…

Were you slammed by an ‘out of network’ anesthesia bill?

April 25, 2011  ·  Jerry Flanagan

<p> <img class=" size-full wp-image-2068" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/anesthesiabill.jpg" style="width: 168px; height: 112px;" width="168" height="112" />Consumer Watchdog is investigating a pernicious threat to your pocketbook: the out-of-network medical specialist, particularly in hospitals. We’re trying to confirm how widespread the problem is, and need your help.</p>

Insurance Agents’ Political Contributions Questioned

April 14, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Health insurance agents and brokers who are lobbying to be excluded from a healthcare reform provision gave lawmakers more than $3.18 million in the 2010 election cycle, Consumer Watchdog said Thursday.</p>

MLR Action

April 4, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> The decision of state insurance regulators to delay a decision on whether they will support health insurance agents on the critical medical loss ratio issue constitutes to be a major setback for the agents.<br /> <br /> The key National Association of Insurance Commissioners' Professional Health Insurance Advisers Task Force took the action late March 20, as one of the final acts of the NAIC's spring meeting, held in Austin, Tex.<br /> <br />

Connecticut Is Among States Praised By A Consumer Group For Opposing Bill That “Would Raise Health Insurance Premiums”

March 28, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> A national consumer group says a bill before Congress would increase the price of health insurance by allowing insurers to exclude broker commissions when calculating what portion of premiums is spent on patient medical expenses versus administrative costs. </p>

NH Groups Urge HHS To Block State’s Waiver Request

March 28, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> New Hampshire’s hospital industry and consumer groups are urging the Obama administration to reject the state’s request for temporary relief from a healthcare reform regulation. </p>