Health Care Reform

A 10 percent cost increase is projected for many popular health plans in 2011, as a number of health care reform provisions go into effect for employer plans.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners on Thursday approved the model regulation containing the definitions and methodologies for calculating medical loss ratios.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners filed a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Wednesday, highlighting issues that have come up as they get closer to concluding work on medical loss ratio definitions.

When it comes to complying with health care reform, meeting medical loss ratio requirements, acquiring and retaining the best risk, establishing cost-effective distribution channels and working with exchanges are U.S. payers' top priorities.

In Woburn, Mass.-based HighRoads' annual survey of Fortune 1,000 companies, it was found that 75 percent of employers plan to address the impact of health care reform in their open enrollment materials.

The next round of provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act goes into effect Thursday, Sept. 23.