Study Finds Health Law Likely To Push Up Premium Prices In Mass.; New York Health Plan Costs Set To Fall
The Massachusetts analysis, funded by the insurance industry, predicts the law will add an average of 3.7 percent to premiums, while in New York, state officials will likely announce Wednesday the expected premium tumble.
Boston Globe: National Health Care Overhaul Apt To Push Up Costs
Rule changes stemming from the national health care law are likely to drive up average insurance premiums for small businesses and individuals next year, according to a study funded by the insurance industry. The analysis, by Wakely Consulting Group, projects President Obama's health care law — supported by the Patrick administration — will tack an average of 3.7 percent on to premiums. That would be on top of typical base rate increases, driven by hospital and doctor's fees and demand for medical care, which have ranged from 2 to 4 percent in recent years (Weisman, 7/17).
The New York Times: Health Plan Cost For New Yorkers Set To Fall 50%
Individuals buying health insurance on their own will see their premiums tumble next year in New York State as changes under the federal health care law take effect, state officials are to announce on Wednesday (Rabin and Abelson, 7/16).
In other news --
Health News Florida: $54 Million In Rebates In Mail
Insurers for more than 600,000 Floridians will have to rebate some of the premium from last year because they didn't comply with the spending rules in the Affordable Care Act, according to federal health officials. The amount that must be refunded in this state by Aug. 1 tops $54 million, according to the Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight. That's only half of what insurers had to pay in rebates to Floridians last year (Gentry, 7/17).
