Health Insurance Blog

Despite the fiscal crisis being experienced nationwide, 14 states found money this year to increase health insurance coverage for an additional 250,000 children nationwide.

The states took advantage of $33 Million that was appropriated by Congress when it reauthorized the Children’s health insurance program (CHIP) back in February.

the 14 states that are expanding their children’s health insurance programs inlcude: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and West Virginia

Since 2008, at least 21 other states have had to cut state sponsored health programs due to financial woes.  In addition the recession has caused at least 15 states to make cuts to Medicaid Programs during 2010-2011, and 8 states have made cuts to Medicaid benefits for 2009

J.D. Powers & Associates rated the top private health plans in the heartland states (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota), and the results were as follows.

Similar to many of the other 17 regions in the JD Power Survey, a Blue Cross Blue Shield health plan took top honors.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska was named the top health plan in this region based on overall customer experience and among the best in the nation.

Three other Blue Cross plans were rated as “better than most”  (4 stars out of 5 in overall experience):  BCBS Kansas, Wellmark BCBS Iowa, and BCBS Kansas City.

Health plans Aetna, CIGNA, UnitedHealthCare, and Coventry Healthcare were rated as being below average.

More information about health insurance in the heartland states:  Nebraska health insurance, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Dakota (BCBSND) has come to an agreement with local hospitals that they will not lower reimbursement payments, reports Retha Colclasure of KFYR Bismarck. In order to save money, the insurer had sought to reduce payments to health care providers without contract renegotiations. The North Dakota Insurance Department blocked such a move.

Decreased payments from insurance companies make hospitals tighten their budgets, possibly resulting in fewer services being offered. For example, St. Alexius hospital would have suffered a $300,000 monthly deficit, Retha claims. Sometimes, hospitals may even refuse to treat patients under certain insurers because of what they consider inadequate compensation. Thankfully, North Dakota health insurance customers will no longer have to worry about that.