#InsuranceReform

Citizen Portal News Alaska

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2 days ago

Committee adopts working document for health-insurance reimbursement bill with lower minimum rate The committee adopted a committee substitute for SB 121 changing the proposed minimum insurer reimbursement to 345% of Medicare's fee schedule, includes network adequacy and audits, and set the bill aside for further consideration with an effective date of Jan. 1, 2027.

Alaska's Senate has adopted a new health insurance bill that lowers minimum reimbursement rates to 345% of Medicare while ensuring network adequacy and compliance audits.

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#AK #AccessToCare #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #NetworkAdequacy #AlaskaHealthcare

Citizen Portal News Alaska

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2 days ago

Sponsor says telehealth parity would expand rural access; committee probes out‑of‑state providers Senate Bill 83 would require insurers to reimburse telehealth at the same rate as in‑person care. Staff summarized registry data (2,207 telemedicine businesses; ~80% with Alaska addresses) and the committee questioned workforce, licensing, and in‑network/out‑of‑network implications.

Senate Bill 83 aims to level the playing field for telehealth services in Alaska, potentially transforming access to care across the state.

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#AK #AlaskaTelehealth #HealthcareAccess #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #RuralHealthcare

Citizen Portal News Alaska

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2 days ago

Lawmakers hear experts and families as bill would require coverage for PANS/PANDAS treatments House Bill 292 would require private insurers to cover evaluation and specified treatments for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders (PANS/PANDAS), including IVIG in qualifying cases; experts and parents described delayed denials and the clinical rationale, and the committee adopted an amendment adding Medicaid coverage.

A groundbreaking bill could soon require insurers to cover vital treatments for children suffering from PANS and PANDAS, ensuring they get the care they desperately need without delay.

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#AK #HealthcareAccess #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #AlaskaPANS #MentalHealthSupport

Citizen Portal News South Carolina

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3 days ago

Sumter County Council adopts flood ordinance amendments to match new FEMA Black River maps Sumter County Council unanimously approved amendments to its Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance (OA-22-09) to adopt revised FEMA Black River watershed maps and Flood Insurance Study revisions, a change the county must enact by Oct. 27, 2022 to remain in the National Flood Insurance Program.

Sumter County Council has taken a crucial step to protect residents by adopting updated FEMA flood maps, ensuring continued access to federal flood insurance benefits.

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#SumterCounty #SC #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #FloodPrevention #CommunityResilience #SumterCountyFloods

Citizen Portal News West Virginia

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3 days ago

Committee approves mine-subsidence bill after rejecting amendment that would have removed collateral-source offset The committee reported an engrossed committee substitute for House Bill 54 62, changing mine-subsidence insurance rules to allow the fund to reduce payments by amounts received from other sources and to require pre-suit notice and limits on extra-contractual recoveries; a senator's amendment to remove the collateral-source setoff was rejected by division vote.

West Virginia's Senate Banking Committee just took a bold step to reshape mine-subsidence insurance, aiming to prevent double-dipping and streamline claims—what does this mean for policyholders?

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#WV #CivicAccountability #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #MineSubsidence

Citizen Portal News West Virginia

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3 days ago

School insurance limits fail in committee after tie vote A proposal to reduce county boards' per-occurrence liability limit from $1.25 million to $1 million and remove a required $5 million excess policy failed in the Senate Banking & Insurance Committee on a tie vote after discussion about market availability and impacts on large school systems.

A controversial bill to slash insurance coverage for county school boards from $1.25 million to $1 million faced a dramatic tie vote in the Senate, raising urgent concerns about student safety and victim protection.

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#WV #CivicAccountability #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal

Citizen Portal News West Virginia

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3 days ago

Committee advances bill to create guaranteed-issue windows for Medicare supplement policies The committee reported an engrossed committee substitute for House Bill 48 69 to the full Senate. The bill creates birthday and Medicaid-exit guaranteed-issue windows for Medicare supplement (Medigap) policies and prohibits medical underwriting and preexisting-condition waiting periods during those windows.

West Virginia is on the verge of a significant change in healthcare, introducing guaranteed-issue windows for Medicare supplement policies that could benefit thousands!

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#WV #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #SeniorCareRights #HealthCareAccess #WestVirginiaMedicare

Citizen Portal News Arizona

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3 days ago

Committee advances bill allowing certain salaried adjusters to be licensed without Arizona exam Senate Bill 14 15 received a unanimous due-pass recommendation after staff outlined that it would allow salaried employees of insurers or managing general agents who meet specified qualifications to obtain an adjuster license without taking the Arizona examination; State Farm testified about workforce impact.

Arizona's House Commerce Committee just made a game-changing decision that could streamline licensing for thousands of adjusters—no exam needed for some!

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#AZ #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #ArizonaAdjusters #LicensingPolicy #WorkforceDevelopment

Citizen Portal News Georgia

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3 days ago

Insurance commissioner details storm-claim follow-up, recovered funds and seeks stronger fines Georgia's insurance commissioner told the committee the office is investigating large Hurricane Helene claims, has recovered more than $100 million for consumers, issued over $42 million in fines on mental‑health parity matters, and is seeking legislative authority to increase per‑incident fines to deter bad actors.

Georgia's Insurance Commissioner revealed a dramatic $25 million drop in reinsurance funding needs while tackling $2 billion in Hurricane Helene claims and pushing for tougher penalties against rule-breakers.

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#GA #FraudPrevention #GeorgiaConsumerProtection #InsuranceReform

Citizen Portal News Missouri

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4 days ago

House committee advances bill barring insurers from cutting off anesthesia-time payments, adopts substitute 15-0 A House committee voted unanimously to advance a committee substitute combining House Bill 25,70 and related language that would prevent insurers from declining to pay for anesthesia time when a surgery runs long; the panel adopted an amendment and substitute after testimony from medical groups and objections from insurers about definitions and billing rules.

A Missouri House committee has unanimously voted to protect patients from insurance companies that refuse to cover extended anesthesia time during surgeries.

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#MO #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #MedicalBilling #PatientProtection #MissouriHealthcare

Citizen Portal News Alaska

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4 days ago

Committee hears emotional testimony on bill to require insurance coverage for PANS/PANDAS treatments Rep. Julie Colomb introduced HB 292 to require insurance coverage for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders (PANS/PANDAS), including treatments such as IVIG; families testified about delayed diagnosis, financial hardship and life-changing responses to treatment. The committee set an amendment deadline and requested medical testimony at the next hearing.

Alaska families are fighting for insurance coverage of essential treatments for PANS/PANDAS, sharing heartbreaking stories of delayed diagnoses and financial struggles.

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#AK #AlaskaFamilies #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #HealthCareAccess #PediatricTreatment

Citizen Portal News New York

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4 days ago

Senate advances eight insurance-related measures; most go to finance or are reported to the floor On March 9, 2026, a Senate session chaired by Senator Jamal Tiberi moved eight insurance-related bills. Several measures were reported to the floor; multiple bills, including a captive‑insurance measure for passenger vehicles, were referred to the Finance Committee after brief discussion.

Senator Jamal Tiberi led an impactful session on March 9, swiftly advancing eight crucial insurance bills that could reshape coverage in New York.

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#NY #CivicAccountability #InsuranceReform #HealthCoverage #CitizenPortal #NewYorkInsurance

Citizen Portal News Florida

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5 days ago

House backs changes to Citizens clearinghouse as lawmakers weigh consumer protections CS for CS for SB 1028 permits a commercial clearinghouse that can keep comparable commercial offers out of Citizens Property Insurance under a 15% pricing threshold; sponsors said the change reduces taxpayer risk, while critics warned of consumer and oversight concerns. The bill passed 88–19.

The Florida House just passed a controversial bill that could drastically change the landscape of commercial property insurance, raising questions about consumer protections and taxpayer risks.

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#FL #TaxpayerSafety #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #ConsumerProtection

Citizen Portal News Delaware

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6 days ago

Task force approves several studies and consumer‑facing initiatives; key votes summarized The task force approved recommendations to develop care pathways and an adjudication board, increase transparency of PIP balances, study crash-related towing/storage costs, support a repair-bill cleanup, encourage driver-education/notifications for gig-economy drivers and recommend broader use of speed cameras; several other motions failed.

Delaware's automobile insurance reform task force just approved crucial initiatives aimed at improving care pathways, enhancing transparency, and addressing towing costs for crash-involved vehicles!

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#DE #InsuranceReform #TrafficSafety #CitizenPortal #ConsumerProtection

Citizen Portal News Connecticut

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1 week ago

Families urge lawmakers to mandate insurance coverage for PANS/PANDAS treatments including IVIG Parents, clinicians and advocacy groups told the Insurance Committee that HB 5374 is needed to ensure insurance coverage for PANS/PANDAS treatments such as intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), describing delayed care, financial ruin and clinical evidence that timely treatment can prevent long‑term disability.

Dozens of parents shared heart-wrenching stories at the Connecticut Insurance Committee, urging lawmakers to mandate insurance coverage for life-saving treatments like IVIG for children suffering from PANS and PANDAS.

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#CT #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #HealthCareAccess

Citizen Portal News Connecticut

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1 week ago

Families press committee to mandate insurance coverage for PANS/PANDAS treatments Parents, clinicians and advocates urged lawmakers to pass HB 5374 to require insurers to cover medically necessary treatments for PANS/PANDAS, including high‑cost IVIG infusions, saying delayed coverage causes lasting harm and other states show minimal premium impact.

Families are fighting for insurance coverage of PANS/PANDAS treatments, revealing how denial of care turns treatable conditions into lifelong disabilities.

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#CT #HealthcareAccess #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #ChronicIllness

Citizen Portal News Virginia

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1 week ago

Committee flags 13% health-insurance increase and discusses regional consortium Members were warned a proposed 13% rise in health-insurance costs could add roughly $230,000 to the county budget; the committee discussed risks if the school division leaves the county plan and explored forming or joining a multi-jurisdictional insurance consortium to lower rates.

Northumberland County faces a staggering 13% spike in health-insurance costs, potentially adding $230,000 to the budget, and the future of its insurance pool hangs in the balance.

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#NorthumberlandCounty #VA #HealthCareCosts #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal

Citizen Portal News West Virginia

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1 week ago

Committee advances bill to require insurance coverage for scalp‑cooling systems used with chemotherapy A House bill to require coverage of scalp cooling systems during chemotherapy was reported to the Senate after emotional testimony from the named patient and sponsor; counsel noted fiscal impacts for Medicaid and PEIA.

After an emotional testimony from a breast cancer survivor, the Senate Health Committee has moved to ensure insurance coverage for scalp cooling systems during chemotherapy, a game-changer for patients facing hair loss.

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#WV #HealthcareAccess #InsuranceReform #CancerSupport

Citizen Portal News Minnesota

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1 week ago

Minnesota State Board of Trustees approves 2025–27 faculty contract The Minnesota State Board of Trustees unanimously approved a tentative 2025–27 master agreement with the Minnesota State College Faculty, adding steps to the salary schedule, increasing the technical-faculty wage differential and changing insurance eligibility rules; Chancellor Scott Olsen was authorized to sign.

The Minnesota State Board of Trustees has officially approved a groundbreaking 2025–27 faculty contract that enhances salary structures and insurance eligibility for educators across the state!

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#MN #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #FacultyCompensation #MinnesotaEducation

Citizen Portal News Connecticut

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1 week ago

Committee advances long-term-care insurance discussion after members cite steep premium hikes Members moved HB 5,304 forward and urged referral to the Insurance Committee, citing constituent reports of extremely large premium increases and noting roughly 115,000 seniors could be affected; the bill seeks changes to premium-rate rules and opens dialogue with insurers.

Connecticut seniors are facing staggering long-term-care insurance premium hikes, with some seeing increases from $89 to $846 a month—what's being done to address this crisis?

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#CT #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #LongTermCare

Citizen Portal News Washington

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1 week ago

House passes tax and insurer‑clarification bill after hours of amendment votes; retroactivity and fiscal impacts fuel objections Engrossed House Bill 24-87, revising tax treatment for insurers and other clarifications related to an advanced computing surcharge, passed after extensive amendment debate over retroactivity, look‑back periods, and potential premium and fiscal impacts; the final recorded vote was 51‑44 with 3 excused.

The contentious Engrossed House Bill 24-87 has passed, but debates over retroactive taxation and potential premium hikes are just heating up!

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#WA #LegislativeDebate #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #FiscalTransparency

Citizen Portal News Minnesota

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1 week ago

Committee approves amendment and lays over bill to preserve Minnesota’s reinsurance authority The committee approved an A1 amendment to House File 33‑88, which seeks to continue and preserve the state reinsurance program and its funding authority (assessment/credit model). Witnesses said reinsurance substantially lowered individual‑market premiums; the committee laid HF 33‑88, as amended, over for possible omnibus inclusion.

Minnesota's reinsurance program is at a critical crossroads, with potential premium spikes looming if vital funding isn't preserved.

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#MN #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #PremiumReduction #HealthcareStability #MinnesotaReinsurance

Citizen Portal News Minnesota

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1 week ago

Rep. Perryman’s bill would have Minnesota cover costs of future health‑insurance mandates; committee lays it over Rep. Perryman presented HF 400, a defrayal bill that would require the state to pay for any new mandatory health‑insurance benefits so premiums in the fully insured market do not rise. After testimony from business and insurer groups and extended member debate, the committee laid the bill over for further consideration.

Rep. Perryman's House File 400 aims to shift the burden of new health insurance mandates from small employers and individuals to the state, sparking a heated debate on affordability and taxpayer impact.

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#MN #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #MinnesotaHealthInsurance

Citizen Portal News South Carolina

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1 week ago

House subcommittee advances bill aimed at easing insurance rates, adopts fraud and deductible changes The House Banking and Insurance subcommittee gave a favorable report to House Bill 48 17 after adopting amendments to bolster fraud enforcement, clarify roofing referrals and modify auto-glass deductible rules; the bill will go to the House floor as amended.

A groundbreaking bill aimed at making insurance more affordable and combating fraud has just passed a key subcommittee in South Carolina!

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#SC #FraudPrevention #InsuranceReform #ConsumerProtection #CitizenPortal #SouthCarolinaInsurance

Citizen Portal News Connecticut

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1 week ago

Connecticut committee hears sharp debate over MEWAs and a state "Connecticut option" study Lawmakers and witnesses traded sharply opposing views at the Insurance and Real Estate Committee hearing over HB 5378, with business groups and small employers backing association health plans (MEWAs) as an affordability tool and public‑health advocates and the Office of the Health Care Advocate warning of underwriting risks and potential market harm.

Connecticut lawmakers are at odds over a new bill that could revolutionize health coverage for small businesses, with fierce debates highlighting both potential benefits and serious risks.

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#CT #EconomicStability #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #HealthCareAccess

Citizen Portal News Maryland

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1 week ago

WCPS officials cite rising specialty drug costs and GLP‑1 prescriptions as drivers of self‑insurance deficit; board told plan design changes and 10% premium are District staff told the board the WCPS self‑insurance fund faces a projected $2.5M deficit driven by rising medical claims, notably specialty biologics and a surge in GLP‑1 prescriptions; consultants recommended clinic reliance, plan‑design changes and a proposed 10% premium increase.

Washington County Public Schools faces a staggering $2.5 million deficit in its self-insurance fund, driven by skyrocketing specialty drug costs and a surge in GLP-1 weight-loss claims.

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#MD #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #ChronicDiseaseManagement #MarylandPublicSchools

Citizen Portal News Michigan

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1 week ago

Michigan House approves package to modernize captive-insurance rules (HB5380–HB5386) The Michigan House passed a set of bills (HB5380–HB5386) to update the state's captive-insurance framework, supporters said the reforms will attract more firms and jobs while retaining regulatory safeguards; each bill passed on recorded roll calls, most by wide margins.

Michigan is set to transform its captive insurance landscape, paving the way for more firms and jobs while ensuring consumer protections remain intact.

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#MI #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #JobCreation

Citizen Portal News Minnesota

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1 week ago

Minnesota Commerce Committee advances a slate of health-insurance mandate bills amid debate over state defrayal and infertility coverage On March 5, 2026 the Senate Commerce & Consumer Protection Committee advanced most health-benefit mandate bills to the Health and Human Services Committee after testimony from the Department of Commerce, insurers, clinicians and patient advocates. Members debated state defrayal of mandate costs and whether the infertility bill could be read to require surrogacy-related coverage.

Minnesota's Senate Commerce Committee is shaking up health insurance coverage, advancing key bills that could transform access to care for chronic conditions and infertility amidst heated debate over costs and mandates.

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#MN #InsuranceReform #HealthCoverage #CitizenPortal

Citizen Portal News Connecticut

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1 week ago

Doctors, clinicians urge ban on automatic insurer downcoding and limits on claim clawbacks Physicians, psychologists and other clinicians told the committee that insurers have been automatically reducing claim payments using algorithms without clinical review, imposing heavy appeal burdens and threatening small practices; witnesses backed bills that would prohibit automatic algorithmic downcoding and shorten recoupment windows.

Clinicians are sounding the alarm over insurers' automatic downcoding practices that threaten patient access and the viability of small practices across Connecticut.

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#CT #HealthcareAccess #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #ProviderStability

Citizen Portal News South Carolina

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1 week ago

Attorney Perry Buckner urges removal of Section 16 from S.C. insurance bill, says it won't lower rates At a Banking and Insurance Subcommittee hearing, attorney Perry Buckner said Section 16 of H 48 17 — which would bar recovery of non‑economic damages for some uninsured drivers — would not reduce premiums and would strip legal remedies from certain victims. Members signaled an amendment to remove the provision when the panel reconvenes.

Attorney Perry Buckner argues that a controversial section of South Carolina's insurance bill could strip victims of their legal rights without actually lowering premiums.

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#SC #InsuranceReform #CitizenPortal #LegalRights #SouthCarolinaInsurance #PublicPolicy