Idaho, Washington and Oregon receive $1M each to police unjustified health insurance premium increases.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced the award of $46 million in the first round of grants to states. The Affordable Care Act provides States with $250 million in Health Insurance Premium Review Grants over five years to help states transform the way they review proposed health insurance premium increases. States have proposed to use this funding in various ways including:

• Additional Legislative Authority
• Expand the scope of health insurance premium review
• Improve the health insurance premium review process
• Make more information publicly available
• Develop and upgrade technology

Beginning in 2011, insurers will generally be required to spend at least 80% of premium dollars on medical care services. The Affordable Care Act allows the Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human services to review justifications for unreasonable increases in premiums and make them public.

Download the entire news release (PDF)