Family Health Insurance Premiums Rise in 2011

October 31st, 2011
Insurance premiums are rising faster than last year

Insurance premiums are rising faster than last year

According to a recent study, annual family health insurance premiums are growing three times as fast as they were in 2010 and are now exceeding wage increases.

A study published by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that family health insurance premiums in group health plans rose 9 percent while single premiums climbed 8 percent, compared with 3 percent and 5 percent last year. In the United States, health insurance is typically provided by employers, although Census numbers are finding more Americans are losing their business-provided insurance.

The study surveyed some 2,088 randomly selected employers and found that on the average, employees are paying about $4,000 a year for business-backed family plans – that number is 131 percent higher than it was ten years ago in 2001.When including payments from employers, overall premiums have increased about 113 percent since 2001. According to the study, more workers are joining high-deductible health plans.

Obama’s Healthcare Reform Begins to Kicks In

Early results of Obama’s healthcare reform law also were observed in the study. Specifically, the provision allowing children under 26 to receive coverage by their parent’s insurance plans appears to have had an effect. The Kaiser study estimates that 2.3 million young adults have been added to employer-backed family health insurance plans. This has had a negative effect in further raising premiums. Health care reform supporters claim that most cost-cutting provisions have yet to kick in.

What about You?

With rising costs, you need someone with experience to help you choose the right plan and save money. We at MyLocalBroker.net have over 20 years of experience in the health care insurance field. We offer free health insurance quotes and guidance for residents of Virginia. We can help you get the best individual health insurance plan in Virginia, and also offer Group health insurance and Medicare supplement plans. Remember, if you are in Virginia, our services are completely free. Call today:  1-(888)-380-2505

Source:

Selyukh, Alina. Reuters Health insurance premiums climb faster in 2011
September 27, 2011

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/27/us-usa-health-poll-kaiser-idUSTRE78Q31820110927

Court Throws out Virginia’s Health Care Challenge

September 17th, 2011
Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is fighting Health Care Reform Law

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is fighting Health Care Reform Law

On September 8, a Virginia federal court ruled that the suit filed by Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli against the health care reform bill had no legal standing. The court also ruled that the health care reform bill mandate which forces all individuals to purchase health insurance imposed “no obligations” for the people of Virginia.

You will remember that Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli had filed a lawsuit against the government arguing that the new law conflicted with Virginia’s own  Health Care Freedom Act, which specifically restricts the federal governments from requiring people to purchase health insurance.

Twenty-six other states joined Virginia in filing similar lawsuits, each claiming that the federal government did not have the power to force citizens to buy health insurance.

This ruling overturns last year’s ruling, which found that Ken Cuccinelli had legal standing and further  found that the federal government overstepped its bounds.

Cuccinelli had already planned his strategy for what his next move would if he had lost the suit. He stated on his website on June 24:

If we lose, we will likely appeal to the Supreme Court directly, in the hopes of resolving this case as quickly as possible.

Experts believe that the case will ultimately have to be decided by the supreme court. Kyle Kondik of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics stated that the health insurance battle may heat up just in time for the presidential election season:

It looks like the Supreme Court will eventually decide on the constitutionality of the mandate to buy individual health insurance, and that will happen probably next year.

Until then, the battle will continue over the federal government’s power and over how much control the state has over its citizens.

Source:

Mergenmeier, Abby & Arts, Sophie. Health care suit tossed. The Highland Cavalier.
September 17, 2011
http://home.uvawise.edu/highlandcavalier/?p=4238

Could Brokers Be Saved from the MLR Provision?

July 19th, 2011
The MLR provision may be amended to exclude brokers' benefits.

The Health Care Reform Law's MLR provision may be amended to exclude brokers' benefits.

Three weeks ago, the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) applauded the decision of an NAIC broker task force to endorse H.R. 1206, a bill that would exclude insurance agents from the medical loss ratio (MLR) limitation of the new Health Care Reform Law.

Speaking on the subject of H.R. 1206, Brianne Mallaghan, director of communications for The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, stated that “there’s a lot of work still to be done on this issue and we look forward to our continuing work with the NAIC, HHS and Congress to find a suitable solution.

During a July 12 conference call, certain members expressed their opposition to the task force’s proposal. However, the official stance of the NAIC is that a vote was not scheduled “therefore, there was no delay in taking a vote.

Although Kevin McCarty, head of the NAIC’s Professional Health Insurance Advisors Task Force, said during the conference call that the task force vote does not represent official NAIC policy, a statement from the NAIC did state that “Commissioner McCarty has not changed his position, and continues to support the bill sponsored by Mike Rogers, which would remove sales agents’ fees from the administrative costs of insurers for calculation of the medical loss ratio.”

The NAIC’s action could have big implications concerning bill H.R. 1206. The bill, if passed, would effectively exclude broker’s compensations from the MLR provision of Obama’s Health Care Reform Law. You will remember that the MLR provision sets limits on how much of insurance premiums can be paid on non-medical expenses.

The MLR requirement is currently having a devastating financial impact on the nearly half-million health insurance brokers in the nation, as well as their employees and clients. Many experts have warned that severe financial losses will occur if brokers’ payments are eliminated. Not only would this present financial problems for brokers, but it would also put millions of broker’s employees out of work.

Sources:

Riggs, Marli D. Work remains on NAIC broker bill endorsement. Employee Benefit Adviser.
July 14, 2011
http://eba.benefitnews.com/news/naic-support-nahu-ciab-mlr-task-force-2715544-1.html?ET=ebabenefitnews:e1890:2160210a:&st=email&utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EBA_inBrief_071411

capwiz.com/nahu. Urge Your Representative to Cosponsor H.R. 1206!
http://capwiz.com/nahu/issues/alert/?alertid=36461501

Report: To Compete in Health Insurance Exchanges, Insurers Must Change

July 18th, 2011
Health Insurance Exchanges are supposed to lower prices by increasing competition.

Health Insurance Exchanges are supposed to lower prices by increasing competition.

According to a new report, health insurance providers wishing to compete in new health insurance exchanges will have to change their focus to a consumer / retail model.

The Health Care Reform Law mandates that state health insurance exchanges are opened by 2014. Consumers will have the option to purchase health insurance from state-run exchanges, which are supposed to allow multiple insurance plans to compete under a single roof and allow consumers to get better prices  – similar to how large companies can negotiate for employee insurance plans.

According to a new report by the PwC U.S. Health Research Institute, insurers will need to make big changes from if they are to successfully compete in health insurance exchanges. The report polled some 1,000 consumers and 153 health insurance executives about their expectations concerning exchanges.

Because the exchanges are expected to draw a gargantuan market (an estimated $60 billion in revenue premiums by 2014), the survey found a large percentage (52%) of insurance executives plan to compete in health insurance exchanges. Interestingly, of those executives who plan to participate in the exchanges, 37% are not currently active in the individual market.

Competing in an exchange is different than the current wholesale approach. Insurers will face new risks in the retail market, and will be forced to compete head-to-head like never before.

Jeff Gitlin, U.S. healthcare payer practice principal, PwC, states that new challenges await health insurers.

Health insurance exchanges will be one of the most market-changing aspects in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,” said Gitlin. “Insurers will need to shift from a wholesale approach to more of a retail way of interacting with consumers and compete in ways they never have before to earn consumers’ business and loyalty. As in all retail businesses, insurers will want to understand who these consumers are, what motivates them and how they behave.

In addition, because Health Care Reform Law bans insurers from excluding customers with bad medical histories, insurers will have to move from risk selection to population risk management. This will be a tall order to perform, but insurers are confident that they will adapt and change to the new requirements.

Sources:

Kenealy, Bill. Health exchanges will change insurers. Employee Benefit Adviser.
July 14, 2011
http://eba.benefitnews.com/news/insurance-providers-exchanges-hhs-state-2715545-1.html?ET=ebabenefitnews:e1890:2160210a:&st=email&utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EBA_inBrief_071411

Grier, Peter. Health care reform bill 101: What’s a health ‘exchange’?. The Christian Science Monitor.
March 20, 2010
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0320/Health-care-reform-bill-101-What-s-a-health-exchange

According to a new report, health insurance providers wishing to compete in new health insurance exchanges will have to change their focus to a consumer / retail model.

The Health Care Reform Law mandates that state health insurance exchanges are opened by 2014. Consumers will have the option to purchase health insurance from state-run exchanges, which are supposed to allow multiple insurance plans to compete under a single roof and allow consumers to get better prices – similar to how large companies can negotiate for employee insurance plans.

According to a new report by the PwC U.S. Health Research Institute, insurers will need to make big changes from if they are to successfully compete in health insurance exchanges. The report polled some 1,000 consumers and 153 health insurance executives about their expectations concerning exchanges.

Because the exchanges are expected to draw a gargantuan market (an estimated $60 billion in revenue premiums by 2014), the survey found a large percentage (52%) of insurance executives plan to compete in health insurance exchanges. Interestingly, of those executives who plan to participate in the exchanges, 37% are not currently active in the individual market.

Competing in an exchange is different than the current wholesale approach. Insurers will face new risks in the retail market, and will be forced to compete head-to-head like never before.

Jeff Gitlin, U.S. healthcare payer practice principal, PwC, states that new challenges await health insurers.

“Health insurance exchanges will be one of the most market-changing aspects in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,” said Gitlin. “Insurers will need to shift from a wholesale approach to more of a retail way of interacting with consumers and compete in ways they never have before to earn consumers’ business and loyalty. As in all retail businesses, insurers will want to understand who these consumers are, what motivates them and how they behave.”

In addition, because Health Care Reform Law bans insurers from excluding customers with bad medical histories, insurers will have to move from risk selection to population risk management. This will be a tall order to perform, but insurers are confident that they will adapt and change to the new requirements.

Sources:

Kenealy, Bill. Health exchanges will change insurers. Employee Benefit Adviser.
July 14, 2011
http://eba.benefitnews.com/news/insurance-providers-exchanges-hhs-state-2715545-1.html?ET=ebabenefitnews:e1890:2160210a:&st=email&utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EBA_inBrief_071411

Grier, Peter. Health care reform bill 101: What’s a health ‘exchange’?. The Christian Science Monitor.
March 20, 2010

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0320/Health-care-reform-bill-101-What-s-a-health-exchange

Virginia’s High-Risk Insurance Plan Premiums Get 40% Cut

July 11th, 2011
Special high-risk government-backed health insurance plans will get a 40% premium decrease

Special high-risk government-backed health insurance plans will get a 40% premium decrease

Beginning this month, the premiums of high-risk insurance plans in Virginia will be reduced by 40 percent. The Obama administration reduced the premiums of special government-run high-risk health insurance plans in many states, including Virginia.

Preexisting-condition insurance plans (PCIPs) were created last year under the Affordable Health Care Act to guarantee coverage to those that cannot get individual coverage due to preexisting medical conditions .

According to Steven Larsen, director of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight at the Department of Health and Human Services, the new rates take advantage of state-specific data which allows lower rates that are closer to the standard rates for individual health insurance policies. “Now the program has been up and running for six to nine months, and . . . we’ve had an opportunity to refine the methodology,” said Larsen.

Before the federal health care law, 35 states offered similar plans for people with preexisting medical conditions, but those programs may be more expensive than the new federal plans. Consumers in states that opted to use the funding from the Affordable Health Care Act to fund their own PCIPs may not see any rate drops.

Federal officials are hopeful that lower premiums will encourage increased participation in the PCIPs, which are meant to be a temporary bridge until 2014, when medical insurers will not be able to turn down applicants due to preexisting medical conditions. So far, enrollment numbers have been discouraging. Early estimates predicted that as many as 375,000 may enroll for the new plans, but as of April 30th, only 21,454 have enrolled.

Source:

Special to The Washington Post. Va. cuts health care premiums for risk pool. NewsLeader.com.
July 2011
http://www.newsleader.com/article/20110706/NEWS01/107060305/Va-cuts-health-care-premiums-risk-pool

Analyst Says Worst Outcome for Obamacare: Mandate Struck down, Rest of Law Upheld

June 27th, 2011

Many experts believe the Supreme Court will strike down the individual mandate.

Many experts believe the Supreme Court will strike down the individual mandate.

According to Andy Laperriere of ISI, the absolute worst outcome from Health Care Reform Law court rulings, to the Obama administration and the insurance industry alike, would be if the Supreme Court struck down the individual mandate but kept the rest of the law in place.

According to Mr. Laperriere, it seems quite possible and even probable that the Supreme Court will find the individual health insurance mandate unconstitutional while leaving the rest of the Affordable Care Act in place. Mr. Laperriere claims that is the worst possible outcome for Obama and possibly the insurance industry.

Not only would this make the law unworkable (prohibiting insurance companies from pricing based on risk without a requirement to purchase health insurance creates a major adverse selection problem), it would ensure that the unpopular (and, under this scenario, partly unconstitutional) health care law would be a top issue in the campaign. This is probably the worst outcome for the insurance industry because of the real risk of a death spiral for the individual insurance market. It would also not be clear until after the election, and possibly much later, how the law might be altered,” said Laperriere.

On the other hand, Laperriere believes that a complete reversal could help investors as it would provide a certain future. It might also help the Obama administration by removing the issue from center stage. Other analysts also believe that striking down only the mandate could make the law unworkable, as the law would be fundamentally altered. If the law did become unworkable, this would prove a PR disaster for the white house, and put the insurance industry in a very awkward position.

Laperriere argues that even a total strike down of the law would bring with it major risk and uncertainty in the market. A complete reversal would increase the chances of a 2012 deficit reduction package for Medicare and Medicaid, to reduce the enormous costs.

Source:

Goldstein, Steve. MarketWatch. “Insurers risk ‘death spiral’ from Supreme Court decision on healthcare law, analyst says”
June 27, 2011
http://blogs.marketwatch.com/election/2011/06/27/insurers-risk-death-spiral-from-supreme-court-decision-on-healthcare-law-analyst-says/

No More McDonald’s-style Health Plan Waivers

June 20th, 2011
The government will no longer be awarding health plan waivers, like it did for McDonald's.

The government will no longer be awarding health plan waivers, like it did for McDonald's.

The waiver program allowing companies like McDonald’s and Cigna Corp to be excused from the federal Health Care Reform Law requirements is being ended in September, according to the government. Companies with existing waivers will still be able to keep their waivers for their mini-med health plans.

You will remember last year that quite a stir was made after McDonald’s, Cigna, and the National Restaurant Association claimed that two provisions of the health care reform law would force them to end their small “mini-med” health plans.

The health-care bill passed last year raised the minimum coverage level to $750,000, making the mini-med plans illegal. According to Steve Larsen, director of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, no more companies now need waivers.

For the vast majority of plans that would need a waiver, those are the ones that would have applied and did apply this year,” said Larsen.

The health care reform mandate made two key provisions which made mini-med plans unworkable. First, the caps on  the midi-med plans, which were $10,000, were made illegal and second, the MLR (Medical Loss Ratio) provision now requires heath providers to pay a minimum of 80 percent of premiums on medical care. Many companies stated that they cannot offer these benefits without raising premiums. In September, the mandated cap on medical coverage plans will grow from $750,000 to $1.25 million. By 2014, no annual limits will be allowed.

Health care waivers have been given to over 3 million workers from over a thousand different organizations. When the law goes into full effect in 2014, low-income workers are expected to be on Medicaid or government-subsidized health insurance exchanges.

Critics have argued that the waivers prove the law does not work, and have suggested that the administration has concealed which employers were denied waivers to hide its favoritism.

In a joint statement after the government’s announcement, Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) and Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) said that the waivers are a cover-up job for a bad law.

The Democrats instituted the waiver program to cover up the fact that their failed law would increase costs and force people out of the plan they have and like,” they said. “Now they are shutting it down because it’s become clear that the only way to keep what you have and like is to be exempted from the very law they said would lower costs.

Sources:

Armstrong, Drew. Bloomberg. “No More Health Waivers Like McDonald’s Received, U.S. Says”
June 17, 2011
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-17/u-s-will-end-health-waiver-program-used-by-cigna-mcdonald-s.html

Levey, Noam N. Los Angeles Times. U.S. halts new applications for waivers on health coverage rule
June 18, 2011
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jun/18/business/la-fi-healthcare-waivers-20110618

Get One Free Month of Virginia Group Health Insurance

June 7th, 2011

You can get one month of Group Health Insurance FREE this June through MyLocalBroker.net

You can get one month of Group Health Insurance FREE this June through MyLocalBroker.net

All this month, if you sign up for a group health insurance plan through MyLocalBroker.net, you will get one month of coverage completely free! That’s right. MyLocalBroker.net has received a special offer from a major Virginia health insurance provider to waive one month of premiums for small businesses that sign up for a group health insurance policy through us.

Maybe you’ve thought about comparing your current plan with others, or you want to see what plans are available now. Perhaps you are seraching for affordable group health insurance for the first time. Whatever the case may be, we can help you get the best deal on group health insurance in the state of Virginia.

Can I just compare group health plans, and sign up if I like what I see?

Yes, that’s fine. Many times when your current plan is compared with other plans that are offered, you will save money by purchasing a new plan. With the wide range of affordable group health insurance plans that we now offer, you may be pleasantly surprised by the results.

How do I get this “Free Month”?

Simply sign up with a group health insurance plan through MyLocalBroker.net. Call us at 1-888-380-2505 or (757) 426-9797, or you can contact us online via our Group Health Insurance quote page. This offer will not last, so call us today!

Who is MyLocalBroker.net?

MyLocalBroker.net is the website of Roberson Insurance Agency, a Virginia health insurance company trusted for its experience, honesty, and guidance. With over 20 years of experience in the health insurance field, you can be sure you are getting absolute best deal available. We work with individuals and small businesses to get get them the right plan at the right price. As brokers, our services are completely free, and you are never under any obligation to buy anything. Call us today and we’ll compare your options, make a recommendation, and let you choose the plan you want.

Anthem Named the Largest and Lowest Cost Health Insurer in Virginia

June 2nd, 2011

Anthem is the largest health insurer in Virginia

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield is the largest health insurer in Virginia

Because of the new health care law, Virginia health insurers were required to release detailed information to the Virginia Bureau of Insurance and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The companies owned by Wellpoint (Anthem) brought in $4.1 billion in monthly premiums and had insured more than 1 million people on December 31.

Three of WellPoint’s Virginia health insurance companies, Anthem Health Plans of Virginia Inc., Healthkeepers Inc., and UniCare Life and Health Insurance Co, held 50 percent of Virginia’s market share in premiums collected and people covered. From these figures, WellPoint clearly dominated the Virginia health insurance market last year.

Sentara (OptimaHealth) Ranked Third

Sentara Health Management Group, part of Norfolk’s Sentara Healthcare company, ranked third behind CareFirst Inc., the parent provider of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, another insurer in the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Sentara received about $685 million in insurance premiums and insured over 170,000 people. Sentara’s two child companies, Optima Health Plan and Optima Health Insurance Co., held 8 percent of the market share in each category.

These figures include plans underwritten by insurers, and those in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program. Plans covering dental or vision only, Medicare, Medicaid and “self-insured” contracts are not included.

Is Bigger Better?

The takeaway from these statistics is that Anthem is the biggest insurer in the state, and collects the largest amount of insurance premiums. Because Anthem is the largest, it can afford to offer lower-cost plans than other providers. Anthem is not only Virginia’s largest insurer, it is also the state’s lowest-cost insurer, and one of only two offering Maternity coverage options (OptimaHealth being the other).

Anthem also keeps prescription drugs affordable by not requiring a separate deductible on your prescription card. All things considered, Anthem offers the lowest out of pocket cost of all Virginia carriers, with the exception of United Health Care (if you can afford United’s monthly premium).

In addition, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Virginia is the insurer of last resort. If you can’t get insured with other providers, chances are that you will be accepted with Anthem. If you think you’ll have a hard time getting health coverage, Anthem Lumenos HSA Standard & Virginia Standard can give you the coverage that you need.

Anthem offers Virginia’s Lowest Costs

How is Anthem able to offer the best plans? How can Anthem offer the lowest costs and the greatest benefits? It may be due to their size. Because Anthem is Virginia’s largest insurer, it can use its resources to offer unmatched deals and low-cost coverage. The large amount of premiums that Anthem receives enables it to offer coverage options that others can’t.

MyLocalBroker.net – Your Anthem Virginia Guide

Now that it’s clear that Anthem is the best choice for most Virginians, how do you get the best coverage? How do you know which plan is the best for your needs? That is where we come in. MyLocalBroker.net is an Anthem Premier Partner with over 20 years of experience in health insurance. If you need health insurance advice, we can help. As health insurance brokers, our consultations and health plan advice are completely free to you.

If you are an individual in Virginia looking for affordable family health insurance coverage, a self-employed worker looking for the right health plan, or even a Medicare recipient or small business group, we can help. Our services are always free, and you have nothing to lose but higher premiums!

As brokers, MyLocalBroker.net will analyze your particular needs and tailor a plan specifically for you. Perhaps you are interested in low-cost individual Anthem plans. In that case we may offer Anthem Core Share or Anthem SmartSense. Perhaps you want the benefits of a health savings account, where you can save unused funds to a tax-free account that you can use later. In that case, we may offer Anthem Lumenos HSA. Or, if you are looking for the best coverage at a good price, we may offer Anthem Premier. Every case is different, but you can be sure that you are getting the best coverage in Virginia when you contact MyLocalBroker.net.

Jeter, Amy. The Virginian-Pilot. WellPoint state’s top insurer; Sentara third-largest
June 2, 2011
http://hamptonroads.com/2011/05/wellpoint-states-top-insurer-sentara-thirdlargest

Want the Best Virginia Health Insurance Plans? Compare Them All at Once!

May 23rd, 2011
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So Your Price Quotes are Always the Cheapest?

Yes, our price quotes are always the cheapest. There is really nothing to be gained by getting quotes from other sites. You see, Virginia’s health insurance price quotes are regulated by law – so we can’t quote higher prices. Because our quotes are done simultaneously on multiple providers, you don’t have to waste time comparison shopping on other sites.

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