Table of Contents

The most and least expensive states for car insurance in 2013
Insure.com has released its 2013 survey identifying the most and least expensive states to buy car insurance. Louisiana has the highest in the nation, a state that has held one of the top three spots for most expensive rates for the last three years. Comments: 0

Oldest and poorest Medicare recipients spend more out-of-pocket, report finds
A new analysis by the American Association of Retired People's (AARP) Public Policy Institute has revealed that Medicare beneficiaries spent a median of $3,103 a year of their own money on health care in 2006. Ten percent of beneficiaries—more than 4 million people—spent more than $8,300 a year. The oldest and poorest beneficiaries spent about one-quarter of their income on health care. Comments: 0

Health care reform benefits kick in for 18 to 24 year olds
California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG) has published a guide for young people on how to navigate new health care benefits. Comments: 0

No job, no insurance delivers an economic knock-out to families
Families USA has released a report that details the "one-two punch" of families losing both their jobs and their health insurance. The report contends that there are far more people in 2009 lacking health coverage than the 46.3 million cited by 2008 Census Bureau data. Comments: 1

Could regulations have prevented the economic crisis?
A new report by the Congressional Oversight Committee points to three areas of regulation that could have prevented the current economic crisis. Comments: 1

Americans caught between unemployment and health care
FamiliesUSA has released a report detailing how, as unemployment numbers rise, Americans are in forced to choose between costly unemployment benefits and health care insurance. Comments: 0

NAIC should reject pressure from life insurers
Consumer groups have urged the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) to reject life insurance industry proposals to dramatically cut the amount of money that life insurers must set aside to pay promised benefits to policyholders. Comments: 0

Call to Action: Health Care Reform 2009
Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), chair of the key U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, has issued a detailed "white paper" on insurance-based health care reform. It includes public and private plan options and directives to limit "out of pocket" costs for patients. Comments: 0

Usefulness of state insurance websites varies
Consumer Federation of America (CFA) has released a study of state insurance department websites which found considerable differences in the usefulness of information such as the rates and practices of individual insurance companies. Comments: 0

Health care and the 2008 presidential election
Families USA has conducted an extensive analysis of plans by presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain. Comments: 0