The association that sells and manages insurance programs for Kentucky’s 120 counties operates with a “self-serving culture” that has resulted in millions of dollars in questionable spending the past three years, according to a critical report by the state auditor.

State Auditor Crit Luallen today released a special examination of the Kentucky Association of Counties (KACo), which found that as KACo’s revenues increased 75 percent from 2003 through 2008 to more than $5.7 million, the level of discretionary spending by the organization also increased dramatically– on parties, adult entertainment, expensive meals, sporting events, some employee retirement benefits, even condo rentals for executives.

KACo, a public, non-profit association primarily funded by public dollars and governed by county officials, offers lobbying and financing services and sells insurance to member counties, which pay insurance premiums and membership dues.

The majority – more than 90 percent– of KACo’s revenue comes from fees paid by the insurance and financial programs administered by KACo staff. The insurance portion of the organization is regulated and audited by the Kentucky Department of Insurance. County membership dues are not a large source of income for KACo, having averaged only about $130,000 each year since 2003.

The state auditor’s report claims that a culture of overspending flourished as board members, management and staff spent funds on lavish dinners, alcohol, sports and entertainment tickets, staff birthday meals, adult entertainment, and fancy Christmas parties.

Iowa is one of only six states to offer the option of free health insurance to state government employees and their families. And the state’s cost to provide health insurance has increased more than 300 percent — $176 million — in 10 years, a Des Moines Register analysis shows.

Iowa’s state employees also pay substantially lower out-of-pocket health insurance costs, such as deductibles and office co-payments, than private-sector workers, according to an independent study of nearly 900 businesses and government employers conducted this year by David P. Lind & Associates of Clive.

Government employees at all levels in Iowa, including those working for schools and local governments, pay maximum out-of-pocket costs that are about half the amount paid by workers in private businesses, Lind’s survey found. That represents a possible annual savings of $1,000 or more for each employee.

The combination of higher benefit costs and lower state revenue has prompted calls for change.

Rep. Scott Raecker of Urbandale, the top-ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, has proposed that state employees contribute $50 a month for health care premiums.

As of July 1, 84 percent of the 28,522 state employees enrolled in health insurance through their jobs participated in plans for which they paid no premiums, according to the Iowa Department of Management. That number includes employees in all branches of state government.

The five other states that offer at least some of their employees no-premium health insurance are Arkansas, Delaware, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Oregon.

Iowa offers employees a variety of insurance plans.

By the end of this article, you should have gained enough new knowledge on this subject to be able to explain its main points to another person.

If youre a Connecticut occupier looking to find the best rates on vigor assurance, there are many options to take plus of. Most doubtminus the best rates are afforded to employers with a large worker root. However, if you are freshly unemployed, person-employed or have been lacking employment afar for more than 18 months, there are health insurance options for you too.

Here are a few options:

1.lately unemployed: If you were freshly laid off from your job, COBRA (Consolidated anthology finances Reconciliation Act) will permit you to remain the coverages untaken by your guests sponsored health insurance table if you are keen to remain paying the monthly premiums. apprehend, however, your employer is no longer responsible for paying their portion of your premiums, so require to pay more for the same coverage. COBRA coverage lasts for approximately 18 months.

As we take the journey through the final part of this article, you can look back at the first part if you need any clarifications on what we have already learned.

2.Unemployed afar COBRA: vigor Reinsurance Association of Connecticut (HRA) grants options for people who have exhausted their COBRA payback.

Maryland’s insurance commissioner of just over two years has announced his resignation to take a position with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.  Ralph S. Tyler, the state’s top insurance regulator since September 2007, said today (Dec. 16) that he will accept an appointment as chief counsel to the FDA.

Tyler’s resignation is effective Jan. 8, 2010, at which point the governor’s office will appoint his successor.

Shaun Adamec, a spokesman for Gov. Martin O’Malley’s office, told IFAwebnews.com that “there is no timeline” to name Tyler’s successor and that the office will conduct a search and make an announcement at a later date. If, Adamec said, no one is selected by Jan. 8 of next year, the governor will appoint an interim insurance commissioner.

Tyler, 62, told IFAwebnews.com that the new opportunity with the FDA allows him “to return to being a lawyer,” referring to his time prior to joining the Maryland Insurance Administration (MIA) serving as Baltimore City Solicitor and chief legal counsel for the O’Malley administration.

“There have been in the past and there will be certain challenges in the field of public health where the FDA plays an important role,” he said.
Baltimore connection

It was, in fact, his link as a former city solicitor that led to the FDA post, Tyler said.

In June, President Barack Obama appointed Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, Baltimore’s health commissioner, as the FDA’s principal deputy commissioner. Tyler said Sharfstein recently asked him whether he would be interested in joining the FDA as chief counsel and the Baltimore resident accepted, ready to report to the FDA’s White Oak, Md., campus early next year.

Galichia Heart Hospital has signed agreements with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas and with Coventry Health Care of Kansas, making the hospital an in-network provider for both insurance companies.

Galichia CEO Stephen Harris said Tuesday that the hospital had been negotiating with both companies for several months. Galichia signed a contract with Preferred Health Systems earlier this year.

Harris called the contracts “a sentinel event in our history.”

“We’ve been talking to them for a long time,” he said.

Blue Cross and PHS are the two largest insurers in the Wichita market; the sale of PHS to Coventry is pending.

For years, Blue Cross and Wesley Medical Center had an exclusive contract, and PHS and the Via Christi Health system had an exclusive contract. PHS is owned by Via Christi Health.

The PHS-Galichia contract signed earlier this year was the first in a series of announcements as the market opened.

Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital recently announced that it had signed an agreement to become an in-network facility for PHS as of Jan. 1.

It already contracts with Blue Cross and Coventry.

Blue Cross now has contracts with Wesley, Via Christi, Galichia, Kansas Heart Hospital and Wesley Rehab. PHS has contracts with Via Christi, Wesley, Galichia, Kansas Medical Center in Andover and Wesley Rehab. Coventry has contracts with Wesley, Galichia, Wesley Rehab and Via Christi-Our Lady of Lourdes.

PHS made Galichia an in-network hospital when the contract was signed; the other agreements will take effect in 2010.

Harris said, “I think it makes business sense for Blue Cross to have a broad network, and it make business sense for Coventry” to have a bigger network in the Wichita area.

Introduction:

In recent years, directors and officers liability insurance has become a core component of corporate insurance. As many as 95% of Fortune 500 companies maintain directors and officers (”D&O”) liability insurance today. Furthermore, it has become a commonplace of the financial world that disappointed investors will charge corporations and their officers and directors with securities fraud whenever a company’s stock drops significantly in price. Studies indicate that the average settlement of securities fraud litigation in 1999 was greater than $8 million, with average defense costs exceeding $1 million. In light of these numbers, it should not be surprising that such litigation has become almost routine, and D&O liability insurance plays a large role in handling it. At the same time, the D&O insurance industry has become highly specialized and new products are constantly emerging to meet the needs of specific markets. This article will discuss the historic and current trends in the industry. In addition, this article will address some of the primary legal and coverage concerns that must be considered by underwriters, claims handlers, corporations and their executives, and the attorneys who represent them.

History of D&O Insurance:

In the 1930s, in the wake of the depression, Lloyd’s of London introduced coverage for corporate directors and officers. At the time, corporations were not permitted to indemnify their directors and officers. Joseph P. Monteleone & Nicholas J. Conca, Directors and Officers Indemnification and Liability Insurance: An Overview of Legal and Practical Issues, 51 Bus. Law 573, 574 (1996). However, directors and officers did not perceive a great risk, and the insurance did not sell. Well into the 1960s, the market for D&O coverage was negligible.

When shopping for home insurance quotes, there is a lot more to consider than how much your coverage will cost. It is important to buy the right type of policy from a solid home insurance company. Make sure you choose the proper level of protection that includes special provisions for valuables such as jewelry, computers and other valuables. Also, depending on where your home is located, you may need to include coverage for floods or earthquakes.

As soon as you start shopping for home insurance quotes for your home in South Carolina, it is important to research your policy and understand what you are getting with that policy. Homeowners insurance is designed to protect South Carolina home owners against certain hazards. Normally there is a deductible that will need to be met when you file a home insurance claim unless otherwise noted. Homeowner’s insurance policies are determined by the potential dangers to your home and it is important to understand what is covered in your home insurance policy.

How Much Home Insurance do you Need?

Many home insurance companies use a cost estimator to figure home insurance quotes. This will ensure that your home is insured for the right amount. Home insurance companies do not insure dirt, so if you purchase a home on a large lot, do not be discouraged when your home insurance policy is a lot less than what you paid for the home. You are buying coverage for the home and not the land.

Home Insurance Rates

Your home insurance deductible is the amount you pay for covered damage before your insurance begins coverage.

State Sen. Don Gaetz and Senate President Jeff Atwater signed a compact Wednesday that guarantees major insurers will continue to cover routine care for cancer-stricken Floridians participating in clinical trials.

The senators emphasized that the agreement will improve the development of future cancer drugs and save countless lives in Florida, where cancer is the No. 2 cause of death just as it is across the nation.

Gaetz, chairman of the Senate’s Health Regulation Committee, negotiated the deal with health insurance companies including Humana, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare, AvMed Health Plans and Vista Healthplans. The companies are responsible for about 90 percent of Florida’s group insurance market. Also supporting the deal are medical and consumer health groups including H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, the American Cancer Society and the Florida Medical Association.

“Nearly every Floridian has seen the struggles and the pains and the cost of cancer,” said Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, during a news conference attended by lawmakers and insurance and medical industry representatives. “Individuals suffering and fighting cancer should not have the added stress of wondering whether their insurance will cover their care.”

Florida is the fifth state to reach an agreement covering trials, and Gaetz stressed that the compact signed Wednesday won’t cost taxpayers or result in higher premiums for the insured.

The individual mandate to buy health insurance is a key part of the Democrats’ health-care plan. Their package, if they can pass it now, doesn’t work without the mandate. But is it constitutional?

Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat, who has been working to pass it, said it is, easily. “We have done it before,” she said, noting that Social Security, which is federal, is mandatory insurance.

But when it came to the Supreme Court in 1937, Social Security was approved as a tax and a spending program. A single-payer plan might be approved that way, but not the current plan. This is mandatory private insurance.

Requiring people to buy that, former Sen. Slade Gorton, a Republican, told me, is “clearly and blatantly unconstitutional.” He immediately sanded down that statement, however, by saying the Founders would have thought it so. Today’s Supreme Court would split on it, he said, and “it will probably be Justice Kennedy who decides it.”

The argument against the mandate is that it exceeds the powers of Congress. The Constitution lists these powers in Article 1, Section 8, from declaring war and fighting pirates to imposing taxes, borrowing money and running the Post Office. They describe a small government. It has grown large by stretching one thing on the list, the power “to regulate Commerce … among the several States … ” This has been interpreted to cover all activities that affect commerce, from racial discrimination to growing marijuana to a hundred other things.

As it said “yes” to federal power, one claim at a time, the Supreme Court kept saying there was a limit.

OVERVIEW:

A common perception about insurance in most African countries is that carriers generally fail to honor policy contracts when insured losses occur, and in most cases resort to fine prints embedded in these insurance contracts to either deny claims or substantially reduce claim payments. Such is the refrain heard not only among insurance policyholders and customers but with alarming regularity from the general public, thus resulting in the adverse and low penetration rate of insurance products and services in most African countries.

Though several factors can be readily identified as drivers of this perception including the lack of adequate understanding of the insurance contract, its terms and conditions, limitations, coverages, exclusions and deductibles including the legal and regulatory framework in various countries; the focus of this article is how the role of insurance marketing and sales, including its technological, regulatory and management strategies, can be utilized as an effective educational vehicle in changing not only the above perception but making the claims process more transparent and beneficial to the policyholders.

There is thus a direct corollary between the marketing of insurance, the technical knowledge of the agent, the types of coverages and policies available and whether a claim is denied or underpaid in the event of an insured loss.

THE SIERRA LEONE CASE STUDY:

For decades the marketing of insurance products and services in Sierra Leone has hinged primarily on the “direct agency” method, wherein companies employed agents earning salaries or as independent contractors being paid commissions on sales to merely sell and market their products.

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As accent furniture makes your room more beautiful, they are available in different price ranges and are generally expensive. But you can always good quality of living room accent chairs from top manufacturers, at discounted rates. When many people start to decorate a room, they don’t even consider accent furniture. They are thinking of all the big pieces of furniture that define a room. In the dining room that means the dining room table and chairs.

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