States cope with health law's MLR, insurance exchange requirements

Georgia was granted some delay in the law's MLR requirements, and in Tennessee and Minnesota, insurance exchange decisions are slowly being made.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Feds Give Georgia Insurers More Time To Comply With Health Care Law
About 350,000 Georgians who buy their own health insurance may not have to worry about their insurer leaving the state, under an Obama administration decision Tuesday. But they will have to wait until 2013 to get the full benefit of a new rule designed to give consumers more value from their health plans (Teegardin, 11/8).

Georgia Health News: Feds Give State A Break On Insurance Rule
Under the 2010 health reform law, insurers in a state are required to spend at least 80 percent of those dollars on medical care costs under policies bought by individuals. But a decision by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced Tuesday, would allow Georgia health insurers to meet that level gradually, with a 70 percent mark in 2011, 75 percent in 2012 and 80 percent in 2013 (Miller, 11/8). 

Modern Healthcare: Ga. Wins Some Flexibility On Medical-Loss Ratio
According to the CMS, 12 of the 18 largest issuers in Georgia's individual market had medical-loss-ratios above 65 percent in 2010. But the 80 percent standard would still have a negative effect on several other issuers, because the state does not have a guaranteed issue requirement (Zigmond, 11/8).

CQ HealthBeat: Georgia Will Be Able To Phase In Medical Loss Ratio Rules 
CCIIO officials have made decisions in eight states, including Georgia. Maine's request was completely granted and North Dakota and Delaware were denied waivers. In New Hampshire, Nevada, Kentucky Iowa and Georgia, CCIIO agreed to relax the rules but did not grant exactly what was requested. CCIIO officials also have adjusted the rules in the territory of Guam (Adams, 11/8). 

CQ HealthBeat: State Medicaid Officials Wonder If Medical Loss Ratio Will Apply To Their Plans
Medicaid directors say they're worried that rules aimed at holding health insurers' administrative costs will be extended to Medicaid-managed care plans, which some state officials say would add an unneeded layer of federal bureaucracy and impede their flexibility in administering the program. ... For the large group market, the requirement is 85 percent of premium revenue. Those rules have not applied to Medicaid-managed care plans so far, but some state officials are concerned that they could in the future (Adams, 11/8). 

Minnesota Public Radio: State Task Force Begins Work On Crafting Health Insurance Exchange
[M]embers of Gov. Mark Dayton's insurance exchange task force met for the first time Tuesday in St. Paul to begin the job of shaping an exchange for Minnesota. ... [A]s the meeting progressed, it became apparent that the complexity of an exchange is an enormous task and some members said they were overwhelmed. They will have help, however -; plans call for finding another 100 to 180 people to serve on 10 technical working groups (Stawicki, 11/9). 

Minneapolis Star Tribune: State Starts Shaping Health Exchange
Blocks away from the Capitol, where a fresh round of partisan bickering erupted over health care on Tuesday, a newly minted task force began chipping away at the daunting task of helping the state create a health care exchange. States have until Jan. 1, 2013, to prove to the federal government that by 2014 they'll have exchanges up and running at which people can buy affordable coverage. … The group will help design a plan, tackling such issues as who will be eligible, what kind of body will oversee it, and what kind of technology can be used to safeguard privacy (Crosby, 11/8).

MSNBC/WSMV-TV: Health Care Exchange Plan Faces Criticism In TN
There's a brand new controversy brewing in Tennessee over the president's health care reform law. Under the law, the state has until the end of the year to set up its own health care exchange to help the uninsured get coverage. But lawmakers are now vowing to fight it. …  [T]he state must have an open marketplace for people to buy private insurance and get tax credits to help pay for it by 2014. It could impact 700,000 uninsured Tennesseans. ... State leaders have started the planning process and are putting together recommendations for the governor. It's up to him to decide whether to go forward with it (11/8).