Battle in Maine Heating Up

[Crabcake Johnny]

With several states looking at the options of allowing their residents to buy health insurance from out of state companies, Maine is looking to throw their hat in the ring.

The Maine House just passed a bill that would allow their residents to purchase health insurance from other New England states. Currently, Republicans control the house and it passed along party lines.

The Dems are saying that Maine residents will give up valuable consumer protections if the bill becomes law.

Read about the battle: Maine Insurance News | Insurance News and Resource Blog

 

[YouGotMyMoney]

yes so if I buy leads in CT, and sell from a carrier in a different state my commish will be higher?

 

[djs]

So... if I live in Maine, but byuy a policy in New Hampshire, where do I have to have my doctor visits at?

Has anyone seriously thought this through? I assume the carriers are sitting back and laughing about all of this.

Dan

 

[AndreaSti]

So... if I live in Maine, but byuy a policy in New Hampshire, where do I have to have my doctor visits at?

Has anyone seriously thought this through? I assume the carriers are sitting back and laughing about all of this.

Dan

Exactly - doc networks! Is there any group of policymakers anywhere in this country that know what they are talking about? I don't think so!

 

[somarco]

if I live in Maine, but byuy a policy in New Hampshire, where do I have to have my doctor visits at?

Guatemala . . .

They tried, and it may have been signed in to law already (can't say) to do the same here. Didn't make much sense here either.

http://www.georgiainsuranceshop.com/georgia-health-insurance/out-of-state-health-insurance/

 

[leevena]

Selling across state lines should be viewed as a good thing.

While I am sure that each state will come up with their own verison/receipe, the concept is quite simple. If my premiums are high because of the state I live in, I can purchase a policy from a state where the costs are lower. (Remember, a big driver of costs are the state mandates/regulations.)

Networks are the least of the issue. The carrier will select a national/regional network and utilize a network integrator to help with the gaps. This is all done now anyway.

Yes, the policy will probably be different, but that now provides brokers with an opportunity, a small one, but one anyway.

This in no doubt will lead certain states to become attractive havens for health plans to set-up business and then market nationally.

Just some food for thought guys.

 

[somarco]

Disagree Lee.

While the networks are (sometimes) national there are regional cost factors that affect the rates more than mandates.

Exception would be GI states.

The added cost of most mandates (other than GI) is less than 10% in most situations.

 

[leevena]

Disagree Lee.

While the networks are (sometimes) national there are regional cost factors that affect the rates more than mandates.

Exception would be GI states.

The added cost of most mandates (other than GI) is less than 10% in most situations.

I don't disagree with you to a point, but let's look at this from a different perspective. Once allowed to sell across state lines, the state(s) with lower regulations/costs will become magnets for health companies. Those people purchasing policies, even if it is just 10% less, in the higher cost states will cause the higher cost states to either decrease their regs/costs or have their home carriers die a slow death.

This is not a cure all approach, but I believe it does help significantly.

 

[Norwayguy]

I don't disagree with you to a point, but let's look at this from a different perspective. Once allowed to sell across state lines, the state(s) with lower regulations/costs will become magnets for health companies. Those people purchasing policies, even if it is just 10% less, in the higher cost states will cause the higher cost states to either decrease their regs/costs or have their home carriers die a slow death.

This is not a cure all approach, but I believe it does help significantly.

You assume that the carriers selling in the high cost states are physically located there and are not selling in other states.

 

[djs]

I pick on doctor networks because it is something most people suddenly understand. It's not as simple as it sounds.

Truth is, if this was the only problem, it could be fixed. Its only the beginning of a lot of problems....

Legislative issues / DOI requirements play a big part in this. Again, if I live in Maine but buy a policy in New Hampshire, which state rules does the policy have to follow? If it is Maine rules, than chances are, it will cost the same as a current Maine policy, making little to no benefit. If its New Hampshire, then you are telling the carriers who bothered to get admitted into Maine that they wasted their time and that the rules are meaningless.

Yes, I'm picking on New Hampshire, I have no idea if you would buy a policy from there if you could. I couldn't afford to stay at a Holiday Inn Express, but I did sleep on the side fo the road for a bit in New Hampshire once.....

Selling across state lines is a bit like the federal government and creating block grants. It is an attempt to pass the buck to someone else while making it seem like you are doing something.

Dan