Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Officials In Alaska, Iowa, Massachusetts. And Washington Approve Increases In Health Premiums
The Associated Press: Rate Increase Approved For Individual Health Care Market
Alaska's Division of Insurance has approved average rate increases for next year of nearly 40 percent for the two companies providing individual health insurance plans through the federally run online marketplace. Division director Lori Wing-Heier said Thursday that Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield and Moda Health cited the high cost of medical services as one of the factors in requesting rate increases. (Bohrer, 8/28)
The Des Moines Register: Wellmark, Coventry Double-Digit Rate Increases Approved
Iowa's chief insurance regulator has approved double-digit premium rate increases affecting thousands of Iowans. The Iowa Insurance Division said Wednesday that Insurance Commissioner Nick Gerhart has approved increases requested by Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Coventry Health Care and Gundersen Health Insurance. ... For Wellmark, Iowa's dominant health insurance carrier, Gerhart approved rate increases of 17.6 percent to 28.7 percent on average for different insurance plans. Those rate increases affect about 137,000 Wellmark policyholders. (Leys, 8/26)
The Boston Globe: 300,000 In Mass. To See Health Policy Rates Rise 6 Percent
Health insurers in Massachusetts will boost rates more than 6 percent for small businesses and individuals in 2016, a troubling sign that costs are once again accelerating. The increase, approved by the state Division of Insurance last week, is more than double the rise in premiums at the beginning of this year and triple the rise in 2014. (Dayal McCluskey, 8/27)
The Associated Press: Washington Health Insurance Rates To Go Up 4.2 Percent
People who buy their health insurance on the Washington Healthplanfinder exchange can expect an average 4.2 percent increase in their rates in 2016. The rate increases approved Thursday by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner are lower than the insurance companies had requested. Insurance officials have approved 12 health insurance companies to sell 136 individual health plans on Washington Healthplanfider in 2016. The companies requested an average rate change of 5.4 percent. (8/27)
Meanwhile, insurance companies seek lobbying help as they prepare for mergers -
The Hill: Cigna, Aetna Hire Lobbyists Amid Mergers
As the health insurance market prepares for a duo of mergers, the companies involved are hiring teams of lobbyists to make sure the process goes smoothly. Most recently, Cigna, which agreed to a $54 billion takeover by insurance company Anthem last month, hired two firms. WilmerHale and Polaris Government Relations will be working on anti-trust issues for the company as it navigates the merger. (Wilson, 8/27)
