Obama administration calls on Pa. insurer to lower rate hike

The Obama administration on Monday called on a Pennsylvania insurer to lower its proposed 12 percent rate increase for a small business health insurance plan. It's the first time the administration has used such new powers given it in the health reform law.

Los Angeles Times: Obama Administration Calls On Health Insurer To Reduce Rate Hike
The Obama administration called on a health insurance company to reduce a planned rate increase in Pennsylvania, using a tool in the new health care law for the first time to pressure insurers to restrain rising premiums (Levey, 11/21).

Kaiser Health News: Capsules: HHS Flags First 'Unreasonable' Premium Increase
Everence Insurance of Pennsylvania on Monday became the first insurer flagged by federal regulators for having an unreasonable rate increase (Applyby, 11/21).

Modern Healthcare: HHS Cites Pa. Insurer's Premium Hike As 'Excessive'
The Obama administration's first review of an insurer's planned rate changes resulted in it condemning a coming rate increase by a Pennsylvania plan. HHS announced Monday that its review of a 12 percent rate increase planned for the small business plan of Everence Insurance of Pennsylvania is "excessive." The authority to review annual health insurance rate increases over 10 percent was granted to HHS by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Daly, 11/21).