A health insurance Web site intended to foster competition and reduce consumer costs by offering more choices on buying insurance plans isn’t working as lawmakers had hoped.
The Utah Health Exchange was launched in August but in many cases, premiums were higher than what employers were already paying. And there were more than 60 plans to choose from.
Insurers can sell plans through the exchange or on the open market, something that resulted in premium disparities of up to 130 percent.
Utah House Speaker David Clark has drafted a bill that would make it so insurers could only offer their small-group health benefit plans through the exchange. And it would keep them from taking employees’ pre-existing health conditions into account when calculating premiums.


Daredevil CEOs May Put Companies at Risk
California Independent Contractor Law May Be Liability for Agents, Brokers
North Carolina Continues Auto Regulation Debate As Rates Stay Same for 2012
Long-time California Lobbyist Looks to 2012 Legislation Affecting Insurance
Mine Safety Chief Seeks to End Complacency Over Safety
Virginia Court Grants Rehearing of Global Warming Claims Case
Woman Takes Honda to Small-Claims, Wins Big
Federal Insurance Office Says Overdue Regulation Report Still Weeks Away


