The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (the federal appeals court with jurisdiction over Washington and other west coast states) is having a busy summer for insurance cases. On the heels of recent decisions regarding attorneys' fees in ERISA-governed insurance disputes and insurers' duty to reasonably investigate insurance claims comes the July 14, 2020 ruling in Schmitt …
Continue reading Court Confirms Health Insurers Can’t Sell Discriminatory Insurance Policies
A federal judge in Texas has ruled the Affordable Care Act (a/k/a "Obamacare") can no longer be enforced. The judge determined the Act cannot function without its individual mandate requiring virtually all Americans to carry minimum health coverage. Congress repealed the ACA's individual mandate at the end of 2017. If the ruling becomes the law …
Continue reading Texas Judge Strikes Down Affordable Care Act
Many people buy short term medical coverage to fill in gaps in long term coverage. For instance, if you start a new job, you'll often lose coverage from your former employer's medical plan prior to becoming eligible for coverage under your new employer's medical plan. This gap can often last several months. To maintain coverage …
Continue reading What Are The Rules For Short Term Health Coverage?
In a medical emergency, patients are typically concerned with getting to the emergency room as fast as possible. They often don't stop to check whether the closest emergency room is at a hospital that is "in-network" with their health insurance plan; or, even if they do, the nearest in-network emergency room may be too far …
