Alabama ERISA decision a setback for state reform

Article Abstract:

A federal district court in Alabama limited the state's regulation of health insurance plans. Alabama passed a healthcare reform act that required health plans to pay healthcare providers for care given to policyholders regardless of their affiliation with the plan's network. Until a recent Supreme Court decision that allowed the state of New York to tax employee benefit plans, it was assumed that state regulation of employee benefits plans was preempted by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). The Supreme Court decision opened the way for the state regulation of benefits plans, but the district court ruling limited state authority under ERISA.

Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors, Insurance Regulation, Cases, Laws, regulations and rules, Insurance industry, Employee benefits, Insurance law

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Getting health insurance remains a problem for millions

Article Abstract:

A survey taken in 1995 and published in the Oct. 23/30, 1996, edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that 31% of respondents either lacked health insurance, could not get necessary medical care, or had difficulties paying medical bills. The report said that a period of uninsurance was the first such period in five years for 59% of those who reported that problem. Those who lacked insurance had worse problems getting necessary care and paying medical bills.

Health Care and Social Assistance, HEALTH SERVICES, Medical & Health Services, Health care industry, Medical care

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Number of uninsured down slightly in '94 to 39.4 million

Article Abstract:

The Employee Benefits Research Institute reports that the number of people in the US without health insurance has declined for the first time since 1988. Census data indicates that in 1988, the number of uninsured people was 33.6 million, which rose to 40.9 million in 1993 and then dropped to an estimated 39.4 million in 1994. Medicaid enrollees also dropped slightly. A simultaneous slight rise in private insurance enrollees was attributed to the success of managed care.

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