Health insurance quotes reform Obamacare updates

Health care spending projections for the next decade,NEW JERSEY: The Department of Banking &
published in the journal  Health Affairs last week,Insurance (DOBI) last week issued a bulletin providing
appeared to have a little something for everyone.template contract riders that insurance carriers can
Prepared by Medicare's Office of the Actuary, theuse for the large group market and the (non-reform)
report notes that health care spending will increase 0.2individual and small employer markets to describe
percent faster than previously projected due to thechanges to comply with the Patient Protection and
health reform law's many changes to the system. AsAffordable Care Act (PPACA). The rider templates,
a result, The New York Times proclaimed that thewhich may be used by carriers without submission to
"health plan won't fuel big spending," causing an annualDOBI for formal review or approval, address the
spending increase of 6.3 percent rather than 6.1following health benefit plan requirements: Extension of
percent. The Christian Science Monitor, on the othercoverage to dependents; annual and lifetime dollar
hand, warned that reform will definitely cause healthlimits; first-dollar coverage of preventive services;
insurance costs to rise and that Americans should belimitations on preexisting condition exclusions; and
on guard for big increases in 2014 when many of therescissions. A carrier not using the rider template must
law's major provisions kick in. Spending on healthsubmit their own forms for DOBI's formal review and
insurance is expected to increase 12.8 percent in 2014filing, or approval to bring benefit plans into compliance
as millions of uninsured Americans gain coverage.by September 23, 2011.
However one interprets the results of the report, it isOKLAHOMA: DOI Commissioner Kim Holland and
clear that rising health care costs remain unfinishedstaff hosted an informational stakeholder meeting last
business.week to discuss the DOI's plans for creation and
ARIZONA: The Senate has established an Ad-Hocimplementation of Oklahoma's exchange under the
Committee on the Impacts of Health Care ReformPPACA. DOI intends to use issue-specific working
Implementation. The Committee will hold its initialgroups to manage the task going forward. The state's
meeting later this month. The preliminary agendaonline Medicaid enrollment process went live
includes: Arizona Health Care Cost ContainmentSeptember 7 and processed over 2,000 applications
System (Medicaid) requirements; insurance reforms;with a 60 percent approval rate the first 28 hours.
impacts on health care providers; and tax implications.Over 400 apps came from hospitals that provided
Members appointed to the committee include AHIPoverwhelmingly positive feedback. This web tool was
retained counsel, clinical and employer representatives,referenced as a possible "starting point" of the
and representatives of the Goldwater Institute, aexchange's eventual infrastructure. The DOI submitted
conservative think tank.an application for a $1 million Exchange Planning Grant
COLORADO: The Division of Insurance (DOI) hasin August and expects to hear a decision from HHS
applied for a $1 million health insurance exchange grant.by the end of this month. If awarded, the money will be
If awarded, the funds will be used for research andused, in part, to hire a consultant to assist with an RFP
developing recommendations for implementation of anto hire a vendor to help build the exchange. Other
exchange. Specific areas mentioned include modelingtopics of conversation focused on the more technical
on adverse selection, value choices, increasing actuarialand difficult aspects of building an exchange, such as
staff and determining the actuarial effects of benefitcoordinating billing/payment through employers,
packages within an exchange and in the externalcollecting and reporting data on those entitled to tax or
regulated market. The Department of Regulatorypremium credits and cost sharing subsidies,   allowing
Agencies finalized three regulations that define thefinding/identifying navigators to assist consumers, and
standardized electronic identification anddeciding if any additional state benefits/mandates
communications systems to be used by all health planswould be included in coverage. Aetna will stay active in
operating in Colorado. The regulations are the result ofthis process by serving on future workgroups when
2008 legislation requiring carriers to use systemsappropriate.
certified by the Committee on Operating Rules forWYOMING: The DOI has submitted its plan for a
Information Exchange (CORE). Carriers must be ablehealth insurance exchange grant to the federal
to demonstrate their compliance by Sept. 1, 2012.government. The DOI will use $800,000 to fund a
DELAWARE: The Department of Insurance (DOI) hasstudy, to be overseen by a Governor's task force, of
issued a bulletin regarding recently enacted legislationthe feasibility of three exchange options. The options
that prohibits rescissions based on medical claimsinclude (1) operating a Wyoming state exchange, (2)
underwriting. The legislation signed into law byparticipating in a regional exchange, or (3) allowing HHS
Governor Markell on August 30th prohibits rescission,to run the exchange. This study would occur in two
cancellation, or limitation once an enrollee is covered,phases:  phase one would help educate task force
except in cases of fraud or intentionalmembers and consult with stakeholders and experts
misrepresentation of a material fact. Effective Sept.on operating an exchange in the state;  phase two
23, 2010, prior approval by the Commissioner or herwould include implementing the recommendations of
designee is required before a health insurer maythe task force if it is decided that Wyoming should
rescind, cancel or limit existing coverage based onparticipate in the operation of an exchange. DOI has
written health or medical information.indicated that no legislative action is necessary to carry
LOUISIANA: The DOI has applied for a grant related toout the duties of the grant, unless the state decides to
health insurance exchanges. Aetna, along with thepursue the operation of an exchange. The white paper
Louisiana Association of Health Plans, will participate inalso outlines that several key governmental agencies
a meeting with the DOI to discuss the grant and otherwill participate in the efforts, which will be facilitated by
issues related to health care reform.the University of Wyoming.