The federal government on Thursday finalized a plan to tighten scrutiny on big proposed health insurance premium hikes, The Associated Press reports.
Starting in September, individual and small-group rate increases of 10 percent or more will be reviewed by either state or federal officials, with state regulators having the primary responsibility.
The federal government will not have the authority to reject rate increases, but it will review them in states that lack the resources or authority for reviews, the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement. The department has awarded $44 million in grants to states to help them strengthen oversight of insurers.
If an increase is deemed unreasonable, the finding will be posted on websites for HHS and the insurer.
The final regulation, which is part of the broader health care overhaul that aims to cover millions of uninsured people, largely reflected the proposed rule HHS first announced late last year.
