Insurance

In a conference call today, outgoing Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sibelius announced that eight million Americans, and 36,584 Montanans, had signed up for healthcare in the Affordable Care Act's insurance marketplace.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released new data on Monday, January 13, showing the number of Montanans who had enrolled for health insurance in the new Affordable Care Act marketplace between October and December 2013.

President Obama's promise that “if you like your plan, you can keep it” will not ring true to many Montana health insurance customers after an announcement this week, November 2.

Montana Businesses will be paying a little less in taxes as the state moves into the holiday season.

The University of Montana's Bureau of Business and Economic Research has released the results of an extensive survey that questioned Montanans about health insurance.  The survey polled 4,662 Montanans between September 2011 and February 2012, and found that 20 percent did not have insurance.

As of October 1, the federal government-run health insurance exchanges will be open to the public. However, Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance Monica Lindeen is advising Montanans to wait a bit before they enroll.

The Consumer Federation of America is out with information about auto insurance in Montana and the news isn't very good.

Montanans who were overcharged by Blue Cross Blue Shield have been reimbursed over $700,000 so far, and the company has been fined by the state Office of Securities and Insurance.

During the 2013 session, the Montana Legislature decided not to expand Medicaid. However, some Montanan's are advocating that Medicaid Expansion be pushed through in the next election through a Citizen's Initiative. State Senator Fred Thomas says that A citizen's initiative would be little more than a beauty pageant.

The Farm Bill could take a big step forward today.