Story Archives of 'health insurance'

A new study finds our wages have significantly lagged behind what we pay for health care in New Hampshire. The report says since the year 2000, Granite State health coverage costs grew about five times faster than the average salary did. We’ll dig into the numbers and find out how New Hampshire compares to the rest of the nation.

Guests

• Kathleen D. Stoll, Deputy Director and the Director of Health Policy at Families USA, a national organization for health care consumers
• Steve Norton, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies

Assurant Insurance Group, which sells health plans directly to individuals, may face $2.5 million in fines if the state insurance commission has its way.

The state agency alleges the firm violated state law by engaging in illegal claim denials, exclusion policies and other issues.

It’s atypical for the state commission to impose fines on insurers.

Yet health policy experts say the individual market is riddled with such problems due to inadequate oversight.

NHPR’s Dianne Finch has more.

Modeled on a similar plan in Rhode Island, HealthFirst would offer a basic low-cost health plan to small business owners. Governor Lynch hopes his plan will ease the stress on small business owners and their employees, but critics say HealthFirst could hurt the health care market and drive insurers from the state. We explore the Governor’s HealthFirst plan and see how it may help or hurt health care in New Hampshire.

Guests

• Roger Sevigny, New Hampshire’s Insurance Commissioner
• Dave Juvet, Senior Vice President of the New Hampshire Business and Industry Association

We'll also hear from

• Felice Freyer, medical writer for the Providence Journal
• Ed Butler, State Representative for Carroll County's District 1 and owner of the Notchland Inn in Hart's Location

Health care is one of those issues that gets argued and debated quite often in the New Hampshire legislature. Last year a number of bills passed that change who is covered by Granite State employers and for how long. We look at the new laws, including civil unions and the smoking ban, and what the impact may be on businesses and employees.

Guests

• John Rich Jr., Director at McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton who specializes in employee benefits, pension, ERISA and tax-related matters
• Bob Sanders, Staff Writer for the New Hampshire Business Review
• Kathy Sgambati, Democratic Senator from Tilton, member of the Health and Human Services and Finance Committees and former longtime Department of Health and Human Services employee and Deputy Commissioner

Within a few weeks, U.S. lawmakers are expected to vote on a bill reauthorizing SCHIP - the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

SCHIP funds health coverage for uninsured children and is scheduled to expire in September after a 10-year run.

Over 7,000 children in New Hampshire rely on SCHIP for health coverage.

But the Bush Administration has proposed a budget increase for SCHIP that is 90 percent lower than what Congress is considering.

So the upcoming debate has state health officials sitting on pins and needles wondering if lawmakers will come through.

NHPR's Dianne Finch reports.