Latest Health Insurance Headlines

All the headlines from our Health Insurance Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Maryland Approves Bill Forcing Wal-Mart to Boost Health Plan

Jan 13 2006 // Maryland became the first state to pass legislation requiring Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. to spend a minimum amount on health care for its employees or pay the difference in taxes as the Democrat-controlled legislature overrode...

Health Insurance Plan: New Option for Low-income Kansas Residents

Jan 13 2006 // Low-income Kansas residents, who have not had health insurance for more than a year, may qualify for a new program that promises half-price premiums, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas announced this week. Named...

Minnesota Officials Address Medicare Prescription Problems

Jan 9 2006 // A St. Paul, Minnesota Medicare official said today that a system glitch that has left hundreds of Minnesotans unable to get prescription drugs should be able to be identified and quickly fixed. Low-income people on both...

Michigan Insurer Honors Top Independent Agents

Jan 4 2006 // American Community Mutual Insurance Company, a provider of individual and group health insurance, home-based in Livonia, Mich., honored its top-producing independent agents earlier this year. The annual event recognizes...

Insurance Commissioner Kreidler Backs Sale of Wash. Health Insurer

Jan 3 2006 // The acquisition of a Washington-based health care service contractor as part of a national merger involving 10 states was approved recently by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s office. The acquisition of...

The industry goes to school

Jan 2 2006 // More universities that offer insurance degrees In this second installment in a series, Insurance Journal profiled five universities that offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in insurance. More universities will be...

IJ Exclusive: Colorado Commissioner David Rivera Has Age and Experience

Jan 2 2006 // When David Rivera was appointed Insurance Commissioner by Colorado Governor Bill Owens in April 2005, he was the youngest commissioner in the United States. Despite his age, however, Rivera already had a wealth of...

The industry goes to school

Jan 1 2006 // In this second installment in a series, Insurance Journal profiled five universities that offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in insurance. More universities will be featured in future editions. Baylor...

IJ Exclusive: Colorado Commissioner David Rivera Has Age-and Experience

Jan 1 2006 // When David Rivera was appointed Insurance Commissioner by Colorado Governor Bill Owens in April 2005, he was the youngest commissioner in the United States. Despite his age, however, Rivera already had a wealth of...

Maine Health Insurers File Second Suit to Block Dirigo Fees

Dec 23 2005 // A dispute between the health insurance industry and Maine’s Dirigo Health program continues to escalate, as a trade group representing four large health insurers files a second lawsuit against the 2-year-old...

People

Dec 18 2005 // Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Robert Wooley announced that Clarissa A. Preston has been named deputy commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Insurance Office of Property and Casualty, and Scott Kipper is now deputy...

Preston, Kipper Named Deputy Commissioners at LDI

Dec 2 2005 // Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Robert Wooley announced that Clarissa A. Preston has been named deputy commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Insurance Office of Property and Casualty, and Scott Kipper is now deputy...

Health Insurers Appeal Maine Universal Health Plan Funding

Nov 30 2005 // A health insurance industry group this week appealed a state regulatory decision that provides a critical source of funding for Maine’s Dirigo universal health insurance program. The Maine Association of Health Plans...

NAMIC: Colo. Bill Would Mandate Unnecessary, Duplicative Coverage

Nov 30 2005 // A bill mandating that emergency medical care coverage be included in all automobile insurance policies was approved Nov. 17 for possible introduction during Colorado’s 2006 legislative session. The Legislative...

HEALTH INSURANCE RISES FOR WORKERS:

Nov 21 2005 // Nebraska state employees will pay 22.1 percent more for health insurance next year, after union representatives and administrators failed to reach a compromise. The rising premiums will cost taxpayers about $21.4 million...

National Newsbriefs

Nov 21 2005 // Q3 Insured Losses an All-Time Record: Pummeled by Hurricane Katrina and six other natural catastrophes in the third quarter, U.S. property/casualty insurers paid an all-time record $40.8 billion to homeowners and...

ILLINOIS

Nov 20 2005 // Lawmakers Pass Kids’ Health Plan: The Illinois House passed H.B. 806, Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s “All Kids” health insurance program on a 79-28 vote, following Senate approval on a 32-23 vote. The...

News Briefs

Nov 20 2005 // Q3 Insured Losses an All-Time Record: Pummeled by Hurricane Katrina and six other natural catastrophes in the third quarter, U.S. property/casualty insurers paid an all-time record $40.8 billion to homeowners and...

Want a Divorce? Get Set to Pay Much More for Health Insurance

Nov 10 2005 // Divorced individuals pay 26 percent more for health insurance premiums on a monthly basis than married individuals, who pay 25 percent more than singles ($242, $180, $136 average per month, respectively), according to a...

La. DOI: Emergency Rules to Expire on Nov. 30 and Dec. 31

Nov 9 2005 // Louisiana Department of Insurance issued a second notice regarding the Emergency Rules that require insurance companies to give policyholders affected by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita an automatic extension of time...