Articles by Susan Heavey

Poll Finds Americans Oppose Defunding Healthcare Law

Most Americans do not want Congress to block funding for various new healthcare measures even as the nation remains split on the sweeping overhaul passed last year, a poll published Tuesday found. More than half of those surveyed — 62 …

Health Insurers Face New Scrutiny Over Price Hikes

U.S. health insurance companies that want to increase premiums by 10 percent or more next year would face tougher government scrutiny under new rules proposed Tuesday. The rules, called for under the sweeping healthcare law passed in March, would require …

Health Insurers, Drugmakers Oppose Repeal of Obama Healthcare Overhaul

Repeal reform? No thanks, say health insurers, drugmakers and others looking for a clearer picture of the U.S. healthcare market after the bruising passage of the controversial overhaul law. Company executives at the Reuters Health Summit this week said the …

Aetna CEO: Don’t Repeal Obamacare

Any efforts to halt progress on implementing the nation’s healthcare overhaul or to freeze funding are a step in the wrong direction even though some changes are needed, the president of Aetna Inc. told Reuters Wednesday. Republicans, who made gains …

State Regulators Back Strict Medical Ratio for Health Insurers

U.S. state insurance commissioners unanimously backed tough rules requiring health insurance companies to direct more of the premiums they collect to medical care, rather than corporate salaries and profits. Although the percentages are mandated in the new healthcare law, insurers …

Industry Worries As Regulators Decide on Critical Loss Ratio

A seven-month-long process for determining how much U.S. health insurers must spend on medical care comes to a head Thursday, amid fresh concerns that the rules will lead companies to desert some small-group and other niche markets. A key group …

House Report: Denials of Coverage by Large Health Insurers Up 49%

Coverage denials of individuals based on their medical histories by the nation’s top for-profit health insurance companies rose by nearly half in recent years, U.S. lawmakers said Tuesday. The findings raise questions about industry practices before a law to prevent …

State Regulators Develop Rule on Health Insurers’ Medical Spending

U.S. health insurers should be able to exclude most federal taxes, but not all, in calculating spending rates to meet new healthcare law requirements, an insurance advisory group has proposed. Under a draft plan released Thursday, insurers would be allowed …

Some Health Insurers Shifting Costs Ahead of New Loss Ratio Mandate

Some of the largest U.S. health insurers are changing their accounting practices to book administration costs as medical costs in an attempt to circumvent new industry reforms, according to a recent U.S. Senate panel’s report. Under the healthcare law passed …

Winners, Losers in Obama Health Proposal

Health insurers, makers of brand-name drugs and generic drugmakers are among the industry players who see further pressure in President Barack Obama’s health care proposal released Monday. The White House plans to hold a summit with Democratic and Republican congressional …