Loan Protection for Small Businesses

Once you’ve got your loan protection insurance policy organized, you can put the documents away and hope that you’ll never need to think about it again, right? Wrong! But a protective policy will ensure that your payments are made regardless of the circumstances. Your business may change and you many need to protect yourself with an appropriate level of coverage to protect you and your business.

Things that you may need to consider as your business changes can include:

- You’re expanding and are now hiring staff. Do you need workers’ compensation insurance?

- Offsite storage. Have you outgrown your original space? If you are storing goods at home or in a rented storage unit, you will probably need extra cover for the goods you are storing off site.

- New specialized equipment? This might need to be added as a specific item on your existing policy if it has a high replacement cost.

- Have you diversified? Your policy might only cover you for the original set of business activities you described. If what you do has changed, update your policy promptly.

Different businesses will grow in different ways and yours is no exception. Don’t risk that expansion by leaving your policy in the drawer. Get it out and reassess your requirements so your business insurance will continue to reflect the needs of your business.

Determining Factors That Affect Your Texas Auto Insurance Rate

Stop paying more than you need to for your Houston auto insurance.

A question I get all the time as a Texas auto insurance agent is, what are the factors the insurance companies consider when rating Houston auto insurance? The truth is there are many factors considered. Below I have provided some information about the key factors. Insurance companies consider all of these when determining your Texas insurance policy rate.

Make sure you are taking advantage of all thee Texas car insurance discounts I mention below. Like the 27% savings available when you package your home and auto insurance with the same Texas insurance company

The Texas county you live in can make a difference. The county you live in plays a big factor in your Texas auto insurance premium. Higher risk areas will see higher premiums for their car insurance. Annual Miles – Number of miles driven in one year. If you put on over 10,000 miles on your vehicle every year your rate will be higher than someone who drives under 10,000 miles. The insurance companies have determined the more miles you drive the greater the chance of getting in a accident.

The performance and the quality of the vehicle help determine the rate. The price, make, model and age of the vehicle will be factored into the rate. Those purchasing more expensive cars or a brand new vehicle, will pay higher insurance premiums than those with older vehicles.

Your personal information plays a determining factor in your insurance premium. Your marital status, education, and profession may increase or decrease your rate.

The age of the driver plays a major factor when rating car insurance. The younger the driver the greater your Texas auto insurance premium will be. If you are a male under 25 or a female under 21 you are paying the greatest premium. If you are a male under 25 or a female under 21 you are paying the greatest premium.

Multiple vehicles and multiple drivers influence your auto rate. Multiple drivers and vehicles usually help lower the price of each vehicles premium unless the additional drivers are under 25.

Most auto insurance companies use your credit rate to factor your premium. The higher your credit score, the lower your Texas auto insurance premium will be.

The enhanced safety features play a role in your overall insurance rate. The enhanced safety features play a role in your overall insurance rate. Examples of additional safety features are car alarm systems, anti-lock brakes, daytime running lights and additional airbags. The deductible amount you choose can play a major factor in your rate The higher you’re deductible the lower your premiums will be.

cheap health insurance policy

The right kind of health insurance quote can help you to purchase a cheap health insurance policy for you as well as your family members. Research is the main activity that you have to undertake to avail a perfect health insurance policy

With so many health insurance providers in the market, searching for the best health insurance plan can be tricky and complicated. It has become a daunting experience for an average individual. Even health insurance policies available in the work place has become complex.

Many people think that when health insurances are offered by an employer, the health insurance is no longer complicated. But it is not the case. There are deductibles, doctors to choose and plans to take into consideration. Again, if you are a self-employed, choosing the right health insurance can cause you a headache. You may find yourself lots in the sea of information and insurance providers. All these problems can be sorted out just by getting health insurance quotes from the insurance companies and going through the fine prints of the document. Thus later on purchase a cheap health insurance policy.

There are two types of cheap health insurance policies that you can choose from:

They are: HMOs or Health Maintenance Organizations with a range of pre-listed doctors and specialists and also specific type of health insurance plan. PPOs or Preferred Provider Organizations; here you are free to choose the doctors of your choice. Even you can choose the type of insurance cover that you might want.

Your cheap health insurance policy will give you covers for: Routine Check ups, emergency treatments, surgeries, lab fees, X-rays etc. All you need to do is to pay a certain sum of money as premium and the insurance company will provide cover for these things.

To avail a cheap health insurance policy, you are required to do an extensive study of the insurance market and get free quotes from them. With free health insurance quotes gathered from different companies, you can easily choose a cheap health insurance policy. You need to compare various quotes and observe the pros and cons of different cheap health insurance policies as have been provided by different providers. And when a particular cheap health insurance policy meets your expectations, buy that policy at that instant. You can even do this research for an ideal cheap health insurance policy by the online method. What you need to do is to browse through the pages of different websites and accumulate health insurance quotes; after this you can buy a cheap health insurance policy and that too online.

insurance-Auto Insurance of Las Vegas ? Get Benefits from Automobile Insurance

Auto Insurance of Las Vegas – Get Benefits from Automobile Insurance
How to Avail Benefits from the Las Vegas Auto Insurance Coverage
It is very necessary for everyone to have an insurance policy for your automobile. You never know when you might face with an accident that might harm your car or cause injury to you too. And it is also necessary to get an automobile insurance from a renowned and reputed auto insurance provider. Auto Insurance of Las Vegas is a service provider which can help you get a number of insurance policies. They provide automobile insurance to help you get a good amount of money in times of need. The < a href = http://www.autoinsuranceoflasvegas.com>
Las Vegas auto insurance</a> quote offered by the service provider is also quite reasonable and attractive.

In many countries it is very necessary to have an automobile insurance policy if you want to drive a car. The automobile insurance helps you in getting a good amount of money if you meet with an accident or if your car is stolen away.  The company will pay you the amount of money for which you have got your vehicle insured. In case another person suffers injury in an accident due to your fault then your < a href = http://www.autoinsuranceoflasvegas.com>Las Vegas auto insurance </a>coverage will look after all the expenses of the person.

The main aim of the Las Vegas car insurance service provider is to offer you protection in case your vehicle is damaged in an accident as well for liability that could be incurred in an accident.  The Las Vegas auto insurance policy covers the insured party, insured vehicle, third party, fire and theft, and third parties.

The Las Vegas car insurance service provider also offers other insurance policies such as truck insurance, motorcycle insurance and recreational vehicle insurance. They also offer prompt services during accidents and help you get the Las Vegas auto insurance quote money within a short time.
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www.autoinsuranceoflasvegas.com

insurance-Cincinnati Auto Insurance: Definitely the Right Track

Insuring the car in a Cincinnati Auto Insurance has always been a big deal for every resident of Cincinnati. Looking for the most excellent pact on auto insurance can seem to be like an overwhelming task. With a lot of information presented on the various Auto Insurance Company, policy buyers are puzzled to take the helm.

Although discovering the most excellent Auto Insurance Company is some kind of a task that is difficult to do, there are ways that will guide you in the right track. Cincinnati Auto Insurance Company discerns how harsh it is to be drawn in an accident that is why they offer the policy that could help the burden of the residents of Cincinnati.

The major intentions of Cincinnati Auto Insurance or any auto insurance is to safeguard us in case of unavoidable circumstances. For this reason, if you want to have a helping hand, it is necessary for you to purchase an auto insurance that will protect your property when something happens unexpectedly.

Shopping for the auto insurance will take a lot of time and effort. However, if you have your internet connection at home, shopping the best Cincinnati Auto Insurance will be easy as what you have ever wanted. The internet is loaded with auto an insurance web site that presents quotes from poles apart insurance companies. Thus, policy seekers will have a great chance to explore the service offered by the various auto Insurance Companies.

When you look through the internet, you will also be able to gaze for the cheapest auto insurance by simply following the steps and clicking the button. You will certainly do well on your line of attack to discover the least expensive auto insurance company. There are so many discounts being offered by Cincinnati Auto Insurance for policy buyers. Thus, purchasing this auto insurance will fit in your financial plan or budget.

Inquiring all important matters or detail by detail informations will certainly help you out once you bump into an accident. For unforeseen circumstances, like when you stumble upon a vehicular accident, how can you be very certain that the policy or the coverage that you have paid for your auto insurance is just enough to cover the expenses? You will surely be in trouble later on when you do not have any idea about the terms and conditions once you got involved in accidents. Therefore, make it to the point that before coming up into a decision make sure that you fully understand everything that pertains to your auto insurance.

The search in finding the best Cincinnati Auto Insurance will be difficult if you do not have any way to make the task simple and trouble free. Keep in mind that shopping the best auto insurance in Cincinnati is not an unpleasant task to be made; to a certain extent it is an opportunity to set aside quite a lot of your money on your auto insurance. Finally, be certain that you insured your vehicle in Cincinnati Auto Insurance for the reason that you are in no doubts that you are in the right track.

insurance-Insurance Agency

In order to conduct a thorough comparison of auto insurance, one must understand the different aspects that should be looked at and subsequently compared. These aspects together form a complete view of auto insurance and will give the person conducting the comparing a better idea of what they will want to purchase.

Compare Companies: Each company has its own “something” to offer its clients and it is up to the clients, or drivers in the case of auto insurance, to determine what it is they want from an insurer and find which insurance companies offers it the best. When it comes to comparing car insurance providers, drivers should look at a couple of aspects about the company in specific while getting an overall feeling of what they provide.

One thing to look into in depth is the insurer’s financial strength. You can think of purchasing an insurance policy almost as if you are making an investment, and people don’t make investments with a company unless they are a financially strong company. Whether a driver is making a monthly payment or paying in full at the beginning of the policy period, that driver is expecting the insurer to be able to come through for them in a time of need. When a driver pays their bill on time and maintains their insurance policy, they expect when they go to make a claim that the claim will be paid for in a timely manner and that it will be paid. Only financially strong companies can ensure claims will be paid. Insurers who are not financially strong and are more vulnerable to financial failure will have a more difficult time paying those claims. Would you want to pay an insurer who will maybe pay a claim? Of course not. Drivers want an insurer who will definitely pay a claim and be around for a long while.

There are a few third party companies who conduct financial evaluations of insurance companies and then post their findings to the public. One company is AM Best, who ranks companies by giving them a letter grade, which can be used to determine how strong the company is financially.

Another aspect to be considered comparing is the insurer’s customer service rankings. Policyholders should be treated well by the representative, and the company’s website should be easy to navigate through. There should be options to make the premium payment online, through the mail, or over the phone. The company should do everything possible to make the auto insurance experience as pleasant as possible for their policyholders. In essence, the policyholder should be treated as though they are a number one customer. To find out rankings of an insurer, check out JD Power and see who is rated number one this year, or find out how your current insurer ranks.

Every driver is entitled to a great experience with their insurance provider, even drivers who don’t have the greatest driving records. No one should settle when it comes to customer service and being treated well, even when talking about car insurance.

Compare Coverage Options: There are many options to be considered when choosing coverage for a policy. Drivers must carry the state requirements, but beyond that is the choice of the policyholder. The main two types of coverage will cover the vehicle and cover medical expenses, and we’ll start there. Medical expenses become very costly as the intensity of the accident increases. Major accidents can cost tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills, and many people don’t purchase enough insurance to cover that nor do they have that money in savings. There are different types of medical coverage, including the self titled medical coverage and also personal injury protection. In some states one of these is required, but for residents of the states that do not require these, they should be considered. These can be used in conjunction with a healthcare policy if the policyholder currently has one. These medical coverage options can help with lost wages, funeral expenses, and surgeries or other medical needs resulting from the accident. Also when purchased, they will go into effect whether the policyholder is at fault of the accident or not.

For vehicle coverage, there are options that will protect the policyholder’s car from any cause of the damage. For instance, comprehensive and collision, when combined, will cover damages that occur no matter what or who caused them. This list could include weather-related damages, vandalism, and even theft. In fact, if the policyholder’s vehicle has a loan or lease on it, the loan/lease owner will require the policyholder to carry comprehensive and collision. There are other vehicle coverage options to consider as well, such as uninsured or underinsured coverage, which will permit the policyholder to rely on their insurer to cover damages done to their vehicle or body by a motorist who has very little or no insurance. To find out what coverage options are offered by an insurer, contact them for specific terms of coverage.

Compare Prices: The best way to compare prices is to gather the estimated prices or quotes that are given by insurers and find the lowest price, and the fastest way to do so would be using our quote comparison tool. By using this tool, the driver or applicant only needs to answer one set of questions and in return will be given a list of prices from a number of local insurers. Compare this to the alternative, which would be to contact each insurer individually to make a list of quotes, which would take a considerable amount of time. We’ll provide the same information, just in a shorter amount of time.

Auto insurance comparisons are most easily done when the driver knows what they are looking for. Comparing different parts of car insurance, such as the provider, the coverage, and the cost, will give the driver a better understanding of the type of company that is providing the insurance. Without knowing these things about a company, the driver isn’t making certain they will be getting the best policy available for their circumstances.

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insurance-Houston, Texas Auto Insurance – What You Need To Know

So you are looking around for Houston auto insurance. What should you know? In this report I discuss 7 ways you can save money on your auto insurance policy.

Rule One: Your Texas homeowners and auto insurance are not with the same agent!

Are you inured with a homeowners insurance in Houston or rental property insurance policy? Yes, is it packaged with your Houston auto insurance? No, well than you are missing out on the discounts available when you package your insurance.

Most agents who sell Houston auto insurance, additionally look to package their clients Texas home insurance or renters insurance together. Packaging your home and auto together provides you with additional discounts up to 25%.

Ask your agent about packaged policy savings.

Rule Two: Keep a clean driving record

There is no mystery that an individual with a healthier driving record, will pay a lower car insurance premium.

A lot of auto agencies are in fact a group of numerous insurance companies, individually catering to a specific type of client. Bad drivers may fit better in one company, good drivers in another, but the bulk of the population fall in the companies between. These people pay a lower premium than bad operators, but a higher premium than excellent operators.

Even though average drivers might have driving records as good as those insured with the lowest rates, They still pay a higher premium. Why?

This is commonly due to the buyer being uninformed. If you maintain a flawless vehicle record, why should you pay more than you need to. Make sure your agent is helping you take advantage of all the available discounts offered.

Rule Three: Glamorous Vehicles Equal Higher Premiums

The car you choose to drive can greatly affect your auto insurance premium

Is the car type a green light for criminals? Does it cost more to fix your car?

If you answered yes to one or both of these questions, you may be paying a higher than average premium for your Houston auto insurance policies cover.

Rule Four: Increase your deductible amount:

Your deductible amount is the cost you are responsible to pay before the insurance company takes care of the rest. Here is an example, an insured is covered with a 0 deductible and the insured has a wreck where their car suffers ,500 in damage, the insured will first pay 0 followed by your insurance company paying the remaining, ,000. The smaller your deductible amount, the greater premium you will pay.

Depending on your accident frequency, it may be beneficial to you to increase your deductible and pay a lower premium every year.

Rule Five: Get rid of unnecessary coverages

Maybe you drive a dated car, with very little worth. You probably do not need collision and comprehensive coverages.

If the value of your car is below ,000 there is no reason to choose comprehensive and collision coverage. What is the value of your car? Ask your auto dealer or look it up on Kelly Bluebook.

Rule Six: Be sure you take advantage of all the available discounts

Texas car insurance carriers offer many additional savings discounts.

Automatic seat beats Air bags Anti-lock brakes Alarms and theft devices Good student Rule Seven: Good credit scores can play a major factor

Do you have a better credit score than accident record? A high credit score may save you a lot of money with some insurance companies.

High or low credit scores may play a major role in shaping auto insurance premium. Good credit scores may provide you with additional discounts while a poor credit score could raise your premium greatly depending on the company. If your credit score improves after you purchase an auto insurance policy, makes sure you let your agent know so you can take advantage of the discounts applied to good credit.

Despite your credit score, speak with your agent and be sure you are with a company that best fits your auto insurance needs.

Learn more about Houston auto insurance online or request a free online auto insurance quote.

At Insurance Over Texas, we take a personal interest in our customers. We like to share information that comes to help you protect yourself and your family from financial loss. If you have any questions, regarding this information or your current insurance coverage, please do not hesitate to give me a call, shoot me an Email, or Ask a Texas insurance question online

insurance-Ways of finding cheap insurance

Top Ways to Change Your Current Car Insurance into Cheap Insurance:

Get Theft Devices: Most new cars have theft devices. Some are automatic and some have to be started at the touch of a button, but all usually get discounts on car insurance. Also, some states provide extra discounts for such things as window sketching.   Ask for a Multiple Car Discount: Did you know sometimes insuring two cars can be the same price as insuring one? If not the same price, insuring another car usually does not cost as much as you may think. If you have two cars, it is very wise to check with your insurance agent, or while obtaining your online insurance quote, to make sure you can get this discount on your car insurance. Also, if you are planning to sell a second car, the cheap car insurance trick would be to keep that car on just liability to get your multiple car discount.

Sometimes people are surprised when they call their car insurance company to take a car off of their insurance, only to find that their price did not go down but possibly increased!   Stick With Yearly Policies: Choosing a yearly policy can extend your savings on your car insurance. Purchasing a yearly policy instead of a six month policy gives you a rate that cannot be changed for one year vs. changing every six months.

Look Into Comprehensive Storage Coverage: If you are planning to store your car for any period of time, you can save on your car insurance by only keeping comprehensive coverage during the storage time. Since the car would be stored, it is very unlikely it will get in a collision or need the liability coverage.   Re-Check Your Mileage: This is a great way to get cheap car insurance: If you are really close to the “miles to work” break-off, you may want to check your mileage closely. When your car insurance company or insurance agent asks you “How many miles do you drive to work one way?” this is a crucial question that will designate you into a particular class.

Each class can have significant differences in prices.   Look for a Group Discount: Many companies offer a discount on car insurance for being affiliated with certain organizations. These can range from credit unions, college sororities, or just having a certain credit card. Call your service center and ask them for a list of organization affiliations.   Lower Liability, Comprehensive, Collision, or Medical Payments Coverages: Of course, you can lower your basic coverages but it may just give you the cheap insurance you need right no!. Comprehensive and collision are probably the first to look at lowering by increasing your deductibles on your car insurance. Most vehicles that are on bank loans can have up to a 00 deductible.

Next, lowering your liability and medical payments could help, but only if you are having a hard time paying for your premium and is not recommended for general savings.   Make EFT Payments: Many car insurance companies are now charging up to .00 or more for mail payments, but sometimes nothing if you choose to have payments automatically deducted. And, sometimes the deductions can come from your credit card, so you don’t have to worry if the money will be in your bank account when payment time comes.

Visit us for you cheap car insurance quote at insurance matter UK

insurance-Affordable DUI Insurance Coverage for High Risk Drivers

Signing up for a California car insurance plan is a wise decision since it is the Law and the rate of auto accidents is rising everyday. There are many types of car insurance available to assist every situation. One such coverage is DUI insurance that is great for those drivers that have gotten a DUI (driving under influence) ticket. Because insurance provides many advantages it’s a necessity to have coverage for every person that owns a car of some type. The first step prior to you buying an insurance policy it’s recommended that you talk to an agent on this field.

Agents who are experts in the area of DUI insurance policies will assist you to understand all its benefits and drawbacks. In addition an insurance agent will help you select the right policy at the best price based on your driving history. There are many insurance carriers that provide these types of insurance coverages to drivers at affordable premium rates. However prior to your purchase it’s recommended that you have a thorough understanding of the insurance carrier from whom you are buying the insurance policy from.

It is important because if you ever run into this type situation where you require the insurance funds to cover the damages and your insurer happens to be a fake then you’ll face a lot of problems. The most important feature about a DUI insurance policy is that when you’ve this coverage, the court allows you to drive even if your driver’s license has been suspended.

The DUI insurance policy is apt for people that are regarded as risky drivers. Because these people have a very bad driving record a lot of the insurance companies will offer them this policy with very high rates. The only choice for these risky drivers is to choose a high-risk driver insurance policy with cheap premium rates. There are many insurance companies that offer this type with affordable rates; you just need to know the right place to look for it. The first place to look for this policy may be the insurance carrier you’re already working with.

Because the insurance carrier has worked with you previously, they might not have many problems in providing you the high-risk driver insurance with cheap rates. If they’re not able to take the risk then you could look for a right insurance carrier on the web. In current times, web is the most useful source for any type of information. Here, you’ll find many insurance carrier websites that are able to give you the high-risk driver insurance at cheap rates.

However, don’t make the mistake of choosing the 1st high-risk driver insurance carrier you find on the web. Initially gather all the details about these insurance companies and the quotes that they are offering. Compare each of the quotes then choose the high-risk driver insurance policy which you feel would be most suitable for you. Looking for an insurance policy this way might help you find a policy with such cheap rates that you had never imagined.

insurance-Health insurance quotes care reform weekly

States with Republican governors kept up the pressure last week on Washington to give the states greater control over health care under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Twenty-one Republican governors sent a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius asking for greater authority over some provisions of health reform, including the ability to define “essential” health benefits and set minimum criteria for participating in insurance exchanges. They threatened not to run their own state-based exchanges if HHS does not act on their requests. Sebelius quickly responded with her own letter in which she reviewed the various options states have to reduce costs in their Medicaid programs, and she indicated she is continuing to review what authority she may have to “waive the maintenance of effort under current law.” Senate bills have already been introduced to address the role of the states in health care reform, which is sure to keep the issue on the front burner. Visit Easy To Insure ME for more info

Federal

The House Committee on Ways & Means held a hearing last week on “The Health Care Law’s Impact on Medicare and Its Beneficiaries,” featuring testimony from CMS Administrator Donald Berwick, M.D., and CMS Chief Actuary Richard Foster. Berwick testified that the PPACA has had a positive impact on Medicare beneficiaries, noting that beneficiaries now have first-dollar coverage of key preventive benefits, additional assistance with prescription drug costs, and an annual wellness visit with the physician of their choice. In response to concerns noted by several committee members about the impact of funding cuts on Medicare Advantage, Berwick indicated that Medicare Advantage enrollment increased by 6 percent from 2010 to 2011. He suggested that the program is healthy and offers robust choices. Foster’s testimony reiterated his prior projection that the PPACA will cause Medicare Advantage enrollment to decline by about 50 percent by 2017 — from a projected 14.5 million under the pre-PPACA law to 7.3 million under the new law.  His testimony further explained that Medicare Advantage enrollees will experience “a large increase in out-of-pocket costs” and “less generous benefit packages” because PPACA will reduce rebates to Medicare Advantage plans, with the reduction in rebates reaching ,500 per beneficiary by 2019.

The Administration last week issued favorable guidance with respect to student health coverage that will result in little disruption, if any, to this business until at least the 2012-2013 academic year. This guidance was announced in a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (rather than as an interim final regulation), which fortunately means that the rule is not effective immediately as has been the case with most regulations relating to PPACA reforms. The proposed student health rule would create a special class of individual coverage for student health pursuant to a set of factors, e.g., written contract between school and insurer, coverage only for students and dependents, health status may not be used as a condition of eligibility.  As Aetna has advocated, the impact would be delayed, as the rule (whenever finalized) would not be effective until policy years beginning on or after January 2012. Until then, student health is not subject to PPACA reforms.  And, when effective, student health would be excepted from the current guaranteed issue and renewability provisions of PPACA.  While it will be unclear for a while whether and how student health will be subject to the medical loss ratio (MLR) provisions of PPACA, we are encouraged by the fact that the proposed rule invites comments on whether student health should receive some sort of special accommodation (akin to the special rule for limited benefit plans) with respect to MLR, owing to the unique characteristics of the student health market.

States

ARIZONA:  The industry-supported exchange bill was introduced last week under the sponsorship of the House Health Committee Chairman and the respective chairmen of the House and Senate Banking and Insurance Committees. The bill provides for a market-based mechanism; governance by a board with insurer representation; no dual regulation; and a conditional repeal provision. The first hearing will be held this week. In other news, Governor Jan Brewer appointed Don Hughes, former AHIP retained counsel, as Special Advisor for Health Care Innovation. Hughes will help direct state efforts to improve the cost-effectiveness and accessibility of health care. He will engage in strategic planning with a focus encompassing both public health care and Arizona’s large private health insurance industry.

CONNECTICUT:  A jointly held public hearing of the Public Health and Insurance and Real Estate Committees was scheduled for this week on two new health care bills. The first bill would establish the SustiNet Plan Authority, a quasi-public agency empowered to implement a public health care option. The SustiNet Plan is a health insurance program that consists of coordinated individual health insurance plans that provide health insurance products to state employees, Medicaid enrollees, HUSKY Plan, Part A and Part B enrollees, HUSKY Plus enrollees, municipalities, municipal-related employers, nonprofit employers, small employers, other employers, and individuals in Connecticut. The Authority is authorized, but not required, to begin offering SustiNet coverage to employees and retirees of non-state public employers, municipal-related employers, small employers, and nonprofit employers after January 1, 2012.  Beginning on January 1, 2014, SustiNet will offer coverage to individuals and employers.  Among other things, the bill directs the Authority to implement primary care case management and patient-centered medical homes for all SustiNet Plan members, establish a pay-for-performance system, and establish procedures to prevent adverse selection.

The Committees also will hear testimony on a bill to establish the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange pursuant to PPACA.  The exchange would be a quasi-public agency offering qualified health plans to individuals and qualified employers by January 1, 2014.  The bill would establish a 13-member board of directors to manage the exchange. The exchange would have the authority to review the rate of premium growth within and outside the exchange in order to develop recommendations on whether to continue limiting qualified employer status to small employers. It also would have the authority to charge assessments or user fees to health carriers to generate funding necessary to support the operations of the exchange. The bill directs the exchange board to report to the legislature by January 1, 2012 on whether to establish two separate exchanges, one for the individual market and one for the small employer market, or to establish a single exchange; whether to merge the individual and small employer health insurance markets; whether to revise the definition of “small employer” from not more than 50 employees to not more than 100; and whether to allow large employers to participate in the exchange beginning in 2017.

Aetna will submit comments on both bills through the Connecticut Association of Health Plans.

IDAHO: Draft legislation is circulating that would prohibit insurance companies and managed care organizations from refusing to contract with qualified providers solely because the provider: is not a member of a group, network or any other organization of providers contracting with the insurance company; or does not offer all of the services obtained through the group, network or organization of providers contracting with the insurance company. However, the provider may be required to comply with the practice standards and quality requirements of the contract specific to the services contracted. The bill generally is intended to impact insurers and managed care organizations. It does not contain an exclusion or exception for HIPAA-excepted benefits. As yet, the bill has not found a sponsor and has not been “introduced.”  While there remains a possibility that the bill could be introduced before the deadline for committee bill introductions, it is considered unlikely.

MINNESOTA: When the legislature convened the first half of its 2011-2012 biennium last month, Republicans controlled both legislative chambers for the first time since 1972. And, Republican lawmakers wasted little time introducing bills to repeal measures passed by the 2010 legislature to fund state medical assistance, general assistance medical care, and MinnesotaCare. In his first official act as Governor, Mark Dayton signed an executive order implementing early Medicaid expansion (to 133 percent of the federal poverty level) for Minnesota, which is expected to make 95,000 more state residents eligible. Minnesota’s 8 million investment is expected to bring about .2 billion in matching federal funds. Governor Dayton also signed an executive order removing the ban on applications for federal PPACA-related grants. Minnesota is expected to receive an exchange planning grant soon. While Governor Dayton cleared the way for the state to seek grants for implementing federal health reform, it is unlikely that state legislators will be passing bills to implement the federal health reform law unless absolutely necessary. Other pending bills of interest include anti-PPACA legislation, a bill requiring guaranteed issue in the individual market, creation of a defined contribution program for childless adults with incomes at or above 133 percent of FPL (reduction from current level of 250 percent), the prohibition of dental plan fee schedules for non-covered services, and an autism coverage mandate. In addition, Governor Dayton named a new Commissioner of the Department of Commerce, Minneapolis attorney Michael Rothman.

NEVADA: The legislature convened on February 7 with a scheduled adjournment date of June 6. Governor Brian Sandoval will sponsor an exchange bill, although he opposes federal health care reform. His reasons include not wanting the federal government to take action in the state and the fact that the legislature will not meet in 2012. The Division of Insurance (DOI) has indicated that it will pursue federal reform measures, including external review. Other legislation of interest includes the establishment of a statewide health information exchange system and amending the requirements for reimbursement of out-of network services to comply with the PPACA.

TEXAS: Governor Rick Perry delivered his State of the State speech last week, which included plans to suspend the State Historical Commission and the Commission on the Arts in addressing the state’s billion budget deficit. Speaking to a joint session of the legislature, Perry said the time has finally come to streamline state government. Perry’s speech focused heavily on how strong the state’s economy is, despite the deficit. According to Perry, Texas added more jobs in 2010 than any other state in the nation. That state-wide job growth occurred in the sectors of business, health care, manufacturing, hospitality, construction and energy. Perry’s speech was highly critical of national politics, and he threatened to push back when Washington encroaches on states’ rights. His budget proposal calls for cutting more than billion in state spending on public education and another billion in higher education, plus more than billion in health and human services programs. Those cuts would come with much larger reductions in federal dollars, because states draw federal funding for programs such as Medicaid by spending state money.

VERMONT: Newly-elected Governor Peter Shumlin’s focus has been on reducing the state’s projected 0 million budget deficit. Proposals to deal with the deficit include changes to the administration of the state’s Catamount program, changes to Catamount reimbursement, imposing an assessment on managed care organizations, increasing the provider tax on hospitals, and imposing an assessment on dentists. The legislature is also considering a number of bills that would create a single-payer, government-run health care plan and require rate reviews. The bills include:

Supported by the governor, H.B. 202 would establish Green Mountain Care and the Vermont Health Benefit Exchange, through which all state residents would be eligible for health benefits. After implementation of the Green Mountain single-payer system, private insurance companies would be prohibited from selling health insurance policies in that cover services also covered by Green Mountain Care.

H.B. 80 would create a single-payer health care system called Ethan Allen Health. If the secretary of Human Services obtains a waiver from the exchange requirement, private insurance companies will be prohibited from selling insurance policies in the state for coverage of services covered by Ethan Allen Health. But it would not prohibit individuals from purchasing supplemental health insurance covering services not already covered by Ethan Allen Health.

S.B. 57 would establish Green Mountain Care as a single-payer health care system, which will include coverage provided under a health benefit exchange, Medicaid, and Medicare.

H.B. 146 would establish a public health care coverage option called Green Mountain Care that would require Vermont residents to have health care coverage at least equivalent to the actuarial value of Green Mountain Care and would assess a financial penalty against those who fail to maintain such coverage. The bill would institute a candy and soft drink tax as well as a 10 percent payroll tax on all employers with more than four employees to fund Green Mountain Care.

S.B. 56 and H.B. 165 would amend current rate review procedures to require written approval from the commissioner before a health insurance policy can be issued and to require that all rate and form filings be filed electronically.  Rate changes would require approval by the commissioner prior to implementation and notice to plan members of rate changes and a 30-day comment period.

H.B. 82 would require health insurers to disclose to the Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities, and Health Care Administration the fee schedules they negotiate with providers, and directs the department to post the information on its website.