■ A few weeks ago, we mentioned that Cato Institute director of health policy studies Michael Cannon had fired a volley across the bow of the ObamneyCare© Exchanges. Now, at least one state is paying heed:
“I’ve suspended the talks on the Illinois insurance exchange until the Supreme Court makes its decision, which we expect in June,” Rep. Frank Mautino (D- Spring Valley, IL)"
How many of the other 57 states will follow his lead?
■ Last time we looked, LabCorp was in a heap o' trouble. And it seems that they still haven't bailed themselves out. FoIB Ania Kapla tips us that "[m]onths after U.S. senators requested financial documents in an investigation of how medical lab and insurance companies bill customers, LabCorp is the only company that hasn’t provided information to the Senate."
Blowing off the United States Senate? Is that really a smart business move?
■ FoIB Holly R sent along this interesting item:
" [O]ne place where handwriting persists is on medical prescriptions, and that’s unfortunate ... Studies show that errors are much less likely if a doctor clicks to select medications from an onscreen list"
There's a lot of tech out there that one would think might be up to the task, but so far there's no clear path to adoption.
■ From the "Poor Baby" Department, it just doesn't get any sweeter than this:
"IRS Wrestles with Coverage Reporting Rules ... The IRS is on track to be in charge of managing or helping with administration of many of the [ObamneyCare©] health coverage provisions ... [and] has issued one document, a tax return information disclosure rulemaking notice."
Bottom line: they, like HHS Secretary Shecantbeserious, are clueless.
■ Finally, a life insurance-related item:
"Genworth [Life Insurance Company] has announced that as of 5/07 they will no longer be selling 30 year term"
This just months after pulling their 15-year level term products. It also appears that their 10 and 20 year level term products will see major new-business premium increases shortly.
It doesn't take a rocket surgeon to divine why this is happening: with the economy in the doldrums, and no clear signs of relief, carriers can't count on major investment profits. And with term insurance rates currently at historic lows, there's not much in the way of underwriting profit to be had, either.
Rock, meet hard place.
“I’ve suspended the talks on the Illinois insurance exchange until the Supreme Court makes its decision, which we expect in June,” Rep. Frank Mautino (D- Spring Valley, IL)"
How many of the other 57 states will follow his lead?
■ Last time we looked, LabCorp was in a heap o' trouble. And it seems that they still haven't bailed themselves out. FoIB Ania Kapla tips us that "[m]onths after U.S. senators requested financial documents in an investigation of how medical lab and insurance companies bill customers, LabCorp is the only company that hasn’t provided information to the Senate."
Blowing off the United States Senate? Is that really a smart business move?
■ FoIB Holly R sent along this interesting item:
" [O]ne place where handwriting persists is on medical prescriptions, and that’s unfortunate ... Studies show that errors are much less likely if a doctor clicks to select medications from an onscreen list"
There's a lot of tech out there that one would think might be up to the task, but so far there's no clear path to adoption.
■ From the "Poor Baby" Department, it just doesn't get any sweeter than this:
"IRS Wrestles with Coverage Reporting Rules ... The IRS is on track to be in charge of managing or helping with administration of many of the [ObamneyCare©] health coverage provisions ... [and] has issued one document, a tax return information disclosure rulemaking notice."
Bottom line: they, like HHS Secretary Shecantbeserious, are clueless.
■ Finally, a life insurance-related item:
"Genworth [Life Insurance Company] has announced that as of 5/07 they will no longer be selling 30 year term"
This just months after pulling their 15-year level term products. It also appears that their 10 and 20 year level term products will see major new-business premium increases shortly.
It doesn't take a rocket surgeon to divine why this is happening: with the economy in the doldrums, and no clear signs of relief, carriers can't count on major investment profits. And with term insurance rates currently at historic lows, there's not much in the way of underwriting profit to be had, either.
Rock, meet hard place.
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