health insurance news

Bangor Daily News–Maine’s Republican legislature has prevented the creation of a health insurance exchange until after the U.S. Supreme Court releases its decision regarding the Affordable Care Act. The legislation also says that only licensed insurance brokers can enroll people in health plans through an exchange, and navigators must also be fingerprinted.

Maine Sun Journal–Some of Maine’s legislators have slowed the process to create a state health insurance exchange, wanting to wait to hear the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on the Affordable Care Act.

Morning Sentinel–Despite the fact that there is bipartisan support to create a state health insurance exchange in Maine, the legislature’s Republican lawmakers voted against creating one the same day the U.S. Supreme Court began hearing arguments regarding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.

MPBN – Governor Paul LePage is catching flack from Maine Democrats for accepting federal funds to plan a state health insurance exchange while at the same time pursuing a lawsuit in attempt to block the federal health reform law.

Boston.com – Maine legislators have expressed concerns over a report about the Maine state health insurance exchange, with one legislator commenting that it “just doesn’t seem friendly and inviting as a marketplace for businesses and people shopping for insurance.”

Think Progress – If Democrats move to pass health care reform after tomorrow’s summit, their newfound momentum can be at least partly attributed to WellPoint’s decision to drastically increase premiums in California’s individual health insurance market. The rate increases highlighted the broken health care system and pressured lawmakers to drastically reform the individual health insurance market. The administration’s strong response also enunciated the differences in lawmakers’ approach to reform and may have pushed the President to add stronger cost control provisions into his health care blue-print.

Politico.com – Is Judd Gregg a tease or a real potential partner for President Barack Obama in trying to salvage some health care reform in this Congress?