Latest from The Spokesman-Review

• Premera drops plan after ruling

  May 2, 2012 in City on Page A6 A health insurance plan covering 45,000 people in Washington is being discontinued, after state regulators objected to its limited prescription drug benefit. Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler ruled that health … 5

• Lifewise to drop policy covering 45,000 Washingtonians

  May 1, 2012 in City A health insurance plan covering 45,000 people in Washington is being discontinued, after state regulators objected to its prescription drug benefit. 22

• Twinkies maker Hostess seeks bankruptcy protection

  January 11, 2012 in Nation/World Hostess Brands Inc., the maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread, is seeking bankruptcy protection, blaming its pension and medical benefits obligations, increased competition and tough economic conditions. 20

• Snow plowing policy discussed

  December 31, 2011 in Washington Voices on Page V1 The point at which the city should plow the residential streets on the Valley floor was the subject of some discussion during Tuesday’s Spokane Valley City Council meeting. Councilman Dean … 1

• Report: Health law to cut cost of care

  November 5, 2011 in City on Page A6 Many middle-class Washington families will save an average of about $1,700 a year once federal health reforms take full effect, according to an organization that advocates for health care consumers. …

• State wants employees to pay more for health care

  October 27, 2011 in City on Page A1 OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire wants state employees to pay more for their health insurance, and is asking union leaders to reopen labor contracts. Their initial response: Not unless businesses … 20

• County leaders offer ’12 budget

  August 20, 2011 in Idaho on Page A6 Kootenai County commissioners are proposing a 2012 budget almost $3 million higher than this year’s, but they say property taxes won’t increase because $4 million will be used from reserve …

• Insurers must cover birth control with no copays

  August 1, 2011 in Nation/World Health insurance plans must cover birth control as preventive care for women, with no copays, the Obama administration said today in a decision with far-reaching implications for health care as … 49

• Feds taking over Idaho insurance rates review role

  July 19, 2011 The federal government will assume the responsibility of reviewing increases of 10 percent or more in health insurance premiums proposed by private Idaho insurance companies starting later this fall.

• State health coverage plan falls flat

  July 17, 2011 in City on Page B1 OLYMPIA –Washington’s Health Insurance Partnership to help small businesses and low-wage workers pay for medical coverage was first conceived some four years ago, and got a big boost last September … 2

• Police pension group OKs hypnosis

  July 15, 2011 in City on Page A6 A retired Spokane police officer will have his hypnosis weight-loss therapy paid for by city tax money. Members of the Spokane Police Pension and Relief Board unanimously approved the unusual … 3

• Health insurance exchange draws praise, ridicule

  May 1, 2011 in Business on Page E1 Washington lawmakers have passed a forceful measure envisioned to help upward of 50,000 small businesses attain health insurance for their employees. They did it by creating what’s called a health … 1

• Florida judge strikes down health overhaul

  January 31, 2011 in Nation/World A federal judge ruled today that the Obama administration’s health care overhaul is unconstitutional, siding with 26 states, including Washington and Idaho, that sued to block it. 47

• State regulator wants to limit health-plan rate increases

  January 28, 2011 in City on Page A6 Washington state’s top insurance regulator seeks new authority to limit health-insurance rate increases among the largest carriers and make insurance rates open to public review. Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler announced … 1

• Kreidler wants to limit health-plan rate hikes

  January 27, 2011 in City Washington state’s top insurance regulator seeks new authority to limit health insurance rate increases among of the largest carriers and make insurance rates open to public review. 23

• Federal bonus could save kids’ health care from cuts

  December 27, 2010 in City A $17.6 million windfall from the federal government could prevent thousands of children in Washington from losing their health insurance in March if the state decides to spend the money … 6

• Caldwell: Rate hikes pit Kreidler against insurers

  December 5, 2010 in Business on Page E1 Suppose the State of Washington had a six-month financial reserve, instead of a looming $385 million overdraft. Suppose, too, that Gov. Chris Gregoire was to propose a 14 percent tax … 8

• State cuts to health clinics affect thousands

  December 3, 2010 in City on Page A7 Washington state is suspending grants that enable community clinics to provide health care to about 300,000 uninsured patients. Suspension of the program was announced this week by the Washington State … 8

• Companies may skip health care

  October 24, 2010 in Business on Page E4 HACKENSACK, N.J. – Some employers will save a lot of money by not offering insurance under changes made to the health care system. For instance, an employer with 51 full-time …

• Regence BlueShield dropping child-only health plans

  September 28, 2010 in City, Region Regence BlueShield, one of the state’s largest health insurers, will no longer offer child-only individual plans, a move that state insurance officials fear may trigger other insurers to drop similar … 47

• State workers’ health benefits at issue

  August 27, 2010 in City on Page A8 OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire wants state workers to pay up to 26 percent of their health insurance premiums next year, part of a hold-the-line contract offer that will include … 20

• Insurance firms’ deep pockets under scrutiny

  May 9, 2010 in Business on Page E1 Curt Fackler will not let the insurance surplus issue go, and why should he? Fackler, a former candidate for insurance commissioner, and one-time head of the Spokane County Republican Party, …

• Washington state to launch high-risk insurance program

  April 30, 2010 in City Washington is set to start a new federally funded high-risk health insurance program. It is designed to cover people who are unable to obtain insurance, such as former and current …

• Small businesses wrangle with health reform and what it means for them

  April 18, 2010 in Business on Page E1 Harris Mithoug said he had a simple solution to the challenges of life without health insurance: Don’t get hurt. The 31-year-old bartender at The Onion restaurant in Spokane did not … 2

• Industry agrees to fix gap in kids coverage

  March 30, 2010 in Nation/World on Page A1 WASHINGTON – After battling President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul the better part of a year, the insurance industry said Monday it won’t try to block his efforts to fix … 4

• Federal reform ban heads to Otter

  March 10, 2010 in Idaho on Page A5 Idaho lawmakers have sent Gov. Butch Otter legislation to ban the enforcement in Idaho of any federal requirement that all individuals and businesses purchase health insurance, and to require the …

• HHS warns of double-digit spike in health premiums

  February 18, 2010 in Nation/World Eye-popping health insurance premium increases of up to 39 percent are not an exception but a worrisome sign of the times, the Obama administration said in a report Thursday. 11

• Obama backs insurance tax

  January 7, 2010 in Nation/World on Page A1 WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama signaled to House Democratic leaders Wednesday that they’ll have to drop their opposition to taxing high-end health insurance plans to pay for health coverage for …

• Mandated insurance has varied list of foes

  January 6, 2010 in Nation/World on Page A1 WASHINGTON – If there is one thing in the proposed congressional health care overhaul that sets Michael Cannon’s libertarian teeth on edge, it’s the requirement that all Americans get health … 2

• Ranks of uninsured swell in state

    November 20, 2009 in City on Page A1 Washington state is on pace to reach a dangerous milestone within 14 months, Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler said Thursday: 1 million uninsured residents. The 1 in 5 adults lacking insurance … 5

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