May 20, 2013

Today’s issue is brought to you by AIS’s Health Reform Week, the nation’s leading publication on the business implications of the massive changes for the health industry mandated by reform.

Obama, HHS Officials Defend Exchange Implementation Efforts
Reprinted from AIS’s Health Reform Week

Despite withering attacks from virtually all Republicans and growing concerns from some Democrats, the Obama administration remains steadfast in asserting that the health insurance exchanges will be ready for business come October .... Read Full Story

Posting of Proposed Premiums May Push Competition

If Oregon’s recent decision to publish proposed rates is any indication, public insurance exchanges could force health plan operators to be more competitive — or at least spend more time cross-checking their math. Proposed prices for Bronze-level individual coverage ranged from $169 to $422, prompting at least one carrier to seek permission to go back to the drawing board ... Read more

“Audit firms have emerged to help employees validate the spouse’s [health insurance coverage] situation. This is a growing trend in the marketplace. It only seems fair that each employer should be responsible for covering their employees, not everybody else’s employees.”

— Erich Blumberg, vice president and actuary at Lockton Dunning Benefits Co., told AIS’s Health Plan Week.

Click here to read the HEALTH PLAN WEEK article in which this quote appeared. (Free for HPW subscribers; $17 for non-subscribers).

Today's Datapoint

56 … health care companies generating 400,000 jobs and $62 billion in revenues operate in Nashville.

Click here to read the THE AIS REPORT ON BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD PLANS * article in which this datapoint appeared. (Free for The AIS Report subscribers; $17 for non-subscribers).

* Not affiliated with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association or its member companies.

• Congressional Record
• Federal Register

Carousel Industries named Philip Wolford director of health care. Woldford was telemedicine coordinator for Saint Vincent Health System....Harvard Bioscience, Inc. appointed David Green interim CEO following the retirement of Chane Graziano. Green was president.

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