Once a week, the Insurance Blog Week in Review brings you an easy way to “ketchup” on the blogs that have been posted here in the past seven days. There could be anywhere between twelve and fourteen blogs that appear. What did you miss?
Governor Jay Nixon Vetoes Law Denying Birth Control Coverage
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon vetoed a bill that would have allowed health insurers to opt-out of covering birth control even if the employer and employee wanted it to be covered. Missouri already has a law that allows employers or workers opt-out of birth control coverage if it goes against their religious beliefs.
The Insurance Podcast Roundup went up on July 16, 2012. This week, I’d like to point out an episode of NPR’s “Morning Edition” that was titled “Will Medicaid Bring the Uninsured Out of the Woodwork?” Some state governors fear that people who are eligible for Medicaid, and not currently getting it, will be able to do that through the exchanges.
Don’t Believe Everything You See on Facebook
There is an image-with-text going around that says that Medicare premiums will increase dramatically due to “Obamacare”. That isn’t true. What is being shared is a slightly updated version of a scare tactic that was created in 2010 about something completely different.
State Farm Has Tips to Avoid Bedbugs
Will your family be traveling this Summer? You should read over the tips from State Farm about how to avoid hotel rooms that have bedbugs and how to prevent bedbugs from getting into your luggage.
Crawling Out of the Woodwork?
The officials in some states are afraid that the health insurance exchanges will inform people who are eligible for Medicaid, and not receiving it, that they can get it. Some state officials are fearful about the cost of covering the people that they should have been covering in the first place.
Renters Insurance Replaces Items After Fire
A fire breaks out in an apartment building. Tenants who didn’t have renters insurance lost nearly everything.
Kentucky Will Create a Health Insurance Exchange
The Governor of Kentucky, Steve Beshear, issued an executive order that allowed work to begin on a state health insurance exchange. This makes Kentucky the 16th state to create its own exchange.
Nebraska is Preparing a Health Insurance Exchange
Nebraska state officials have been working on creating a state health insurance exchange. The exchange won’t be enacted until after the 2012 Presidential election.
Medi-Cal Continues to be Problematic
A few years ago, the state of California cut the reimbursement rate that doctors would receive for treating patients who use Medi-Cal, (the state’s Medicaid program). Those cuts continue to cause problems today.
Walgreens and Express Scripts are Back Together
After a split, Walgreens and Express Scripts are working together again. Check with your health insurer to see if Walgreens is in your network, once again.
Judge Throws Out Birth Control Coverage Lawsuit
U.S. District Judge Warren Urborn dismissed a federal lawsuit brought by seven states, and some Catholic groups. The judge said the plaintiff’s case was “not yet ripe for review” and pointed out that much of their argument was based on speculation.
Minnesota is Working on a State Health Insurance Exchange
Mark Dayton, the Governor of Minnesota, issued an executive order that would allow Minnesota to begin working on a state health insurance exchange.
Alaska Will Not Create a Health Insurance Exchange
Governor Sean Parnell, of Alaska feels that it would cost too much money to create a state health insurance exchange. Alaska is one of the states that refused to accept an Establishment Grant that would have helped with the financial aspects of creating a state exchange.
Image by Scout Seventeen on Flickr