GOP point of interest: Selling insurance across state lines

Republicans have introduced legislation to allow consumers to buy health insurance beyond their state borders. Meanwhile, Stateline explores how the health law might impact the job security of brokers.

Minnesota Public Radio: GOP Pushes For Cross-Border Health Insurance Purchases
States have had the power to regulate insurance within their borders for at least 140 years, but the GOP has introduced a bill that would allow residents to buy health insurance outside of their states. Unless you work for a company that's self-insured, it's likely the state you live in regulates your health insurance. States set rules that can vary from the amount of money an insurance company must hold in reserve to what kinds of treatment health insurance policies cover. ... Minnesota tends to be among the states with the highest number of mandates. The Council, for example, counted 64 in the state, compared with an average of 42 among the 50 states and Washington, D.C. (Stawicki, 2/15).

Related, earlier KHN story: Selling Health Insurance Across State Lines (Galewitz and Verdon, 1/25).

Stateline: Will Health Care Law Be A Job-Killer For Insurance Brokers?
State officials insist they are counting on the nation's 434,000 licensed brokers to play a vital role in implementing national health care reform; they're just not sure what that role is. Still, brokers are already seeing big changes in the way they do business — and in the level of their pay. Starting last month, insurance companies cut the commissions they pay brokers to sell insurance policies to individuals and small businesses to comply with a provision in the Affordable Care Act that took effect January 1 (Vestal, 2/15).

Related, earlier KHN story: Health Insurance Brokers Fight For Their Future (Gold, 12/3/10).