Maine gets break in federal health care overhaul

[Stephanie]

wtf?????? Do we have a Federal Government FOR ALL the people? this shit Obamacare MUST be repealed folks

Published: Tuesday, 8 Mar 2011 | 10:25 PM ET Text Size

Twitter LinkedInMore Share
PORTLAND, Maine - The federal government Tuesday granted Maine a waiver of a key provision in President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, citing the likelihood that enforcement could destabilize the state's market for individual health insurance.

The U.S. Health and Human Services department said in a letter it would waive the requirement that insurers spend 80 cents to 85 cents of every premium dollar on medical care and quality improvement. Instead, the letter said, the state could maintain its 65 percent standard for three years, with the caveat that HHS intends to review the figures after two years.

The decision makes Maine the first state to receive a waiver of the requirement. Similar requests are pending from Kentucky, Nevada and New Hampshire.

In seeking the waiver, Maine Insurance Superintendent Mila Kofman feared that one of three major insurers offering individual plans in Maine would withdraw from the market altogether if the federal requirement remained in place. The insurer, MEGA Life and Health Insurance Co., has 37 percent of the state's individual market.

MEGA's departure from the market would carry the "reasonable likelihood of destabilizing the Maine individual market," with costly ramifications for MEGA's policy holders, wrote Steven Larsen, an HHS deputy administrator.

"We appreciate the evidence-based approach HHS took with our request and in working with us," Kofman said in a statement.

read it all here.
News Headlines

 

[editec]

I thought you right wing Obama haters WANTED the states to be able to do things their way.

So Maine gets a pass from Obama to do things THEIR WAY, and you're bitching?

Make up your minds, kids.

 

[Stephanie]

I thought you right wing Obama haters WANTED the states to be able to do things their way.

So Maine gets a pass from Obama to do things THEIR WAY, and you're bitching?

Make up your minds, kids.

You really want to stick with this dumb comment?

 

[Greenbeard]

Maine Republican gubernatorial candidate Paul LePage told a group of fishermen at a GOP forum that he won't be afraid to tell President Barack Obama to "go to hell."

It is the first time in 40 years that Republicans have held the majority in both chambers of Maine’s legislature, and a Republican governor means the GOP will face increased pressure to advance policies of their own. Come January, there will be 20 state senators and 77 representatives from the GOP seated in the State House, up from 15 and 55, respectively.

Another politically-connected state getting favors from its buddies in the administration!

 

[Mini 14]

This is going to be a bigger deal than most realize.

It is either extended to all the other States, or it is taken away from Maine. Either way, there is going to be a good fight over this one.

 

[Greenbeard]

This is going to be a bigger deal than most realize.

It is either extended to all the other States, or it is taken away from Maine. Either way, there is going to be a good fight over this one.

Waivers are not particularly uncommon in the federal-state health policy relationship. Arizona has operated its entire Medicaid program under an 1115 waiver since the state created it in the '80s. States that have issues with compliance or can make a strong case for doing something differently generally get leeway. Life goes on.

 

[Care4all]

maine has one insurer that covers near 80% of the health care insurance policies, and it stinks big time....

hardly a free market or any 'market' at all....