 Image: turtlemom4bacon under CC 3.0 |
All eyes are on Orlando today, but not because of anything Mickey Mouse has done. Rather, it is a meeting of several states’ insurance commissioners. Their topic: coming up with the rules that insurers will have to abide by post-healthcare reform.
Specifically, they are responsible for calculating minimum medical loss ratios. MLRs are also known as the percentage of premiums spent on providing health care, as opposed to profits and administrative expenses. Proponents of the limits believe that they will result in more affordable health insurance for consumers. However, some are worried that the new rules will make some niches and entire markets–such as small groups–less appealing, and that people will become uninsured as a result.
The group’s recommendations will become effective next year. Although the already-determined limits are 85% for large group plans and 80% for small groups and individuals, the commissioners will consider tax exemptions and a longer phasing-in period. Most significantly, they will help determine what counts as a medical expense. Insurers obviously want a wider definition of qualified medical costs.
Tags: affordable health insurance, health insurance companies, health insurers, healthcare reform, insurance commissioners, medical loss ratio, mlr, small group health insurance
