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The article reports that retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will stop offering health insurance to 30,000 of its part-time workers, and increase insurance premiums for others. Wal-Mart said its health-care costs for the year ended January 31, 2015 would be a half-billion dollars higher that it had expected. Additional detail is provided about how other companies have responded to changes in the U.S. health-care market wrought by the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The article discusses the high incidence of serious conditions such as diabetes and cancer among those who have signed up for health insurance under the 2010 U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. During the first quarter of 2014 27% of enrollees could be so characterized, compared to 16% in the year-ago quarter in the individual health-insurance market prior to the Act. Insurance companies say health-insurance premiums could be headed higher as a result.

The article discusses rate increases proposed by health-insurance companies for 2015. Among 10 states that have filed rate plans, the largest insurers in nine of them are planning average increases of between 8.5% and 22.8%. Anthem Inc. is proposing an 8.5% jump in health insurance premiums in Virginia, while Moda Health Plan Inc. has requested a 12.5% increase in Oregon.

The article discusses challenges posed to insurance company actuaries by the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Actuaries must predict medical costs and set insurance premiums for those who enroll for health-care coverage on insurance exchanges amid ongoing regulatory changes, and despite having limited information about the health of enrollees. Information is presented about the work of Diane Seaman, an actuary for health-insurer WellPoint Inc.

The article discusses efforts by U.S. health insurers to quickly gather information about those who have bought health-insurance policies from them under the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Insurers are using online surveys, emails, and telephone calls to collect data that will help them determine what premiums to charge for 2015. Proposed rates for 2015 must be submitted to insurance regulators by the spring of 2014.

The article discusses a January 13, 2014 report from the administration of the U.S. president Barack Obama which indicates that one-third of enrollees in U.S. insurance marketplaces are over 55 years old, focusing on the impact that the trend could have on health insurance premiums. Topics include the U.S. HealthCare.gov website and the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The article discusses prices for health-insurance policies eligible people in the U.S. will be able to buy from federally-operated insurance exchanges beginning October 1, 2013, as called for by the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Prices vary by state, and in general constitute a price rise for young, healthy consumers and a price cut for older and sicker ones.

The article discusses the expected impact on insurance premiums of health-care-reform legislation in the U.S. set to take effect in 2014. Insurers will no longer be able to base premiums on the health of those being insured. Consequently, premiums at small firms with relatively older employees could decline, while companies with significant proportions of younger workers could see premiums rise.

The article looks at small- and medium-sized businesses' policies on providing health insurance for employees in the context of the implementation of the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as of 2013. It reports on three businesses, a pizza restaurant chain, a business consulting firm, and an information technology services company, discussing topics including insurance premiums, taxation, and employee retention.

The article reports that fast-food restaurant chain McDonald's Corp. may drop health-insurance coverage for some 30,000 hourly wage earners. Health-care-reform legislation signed into law in the U.S. in 2010 requires that at least 80% of health-insurance premiums be spent on medical care by 2011. McDonald's has informed the U.S. government that it will not be able to meet that goal for the workers in question.

The article reports that several health-insurance companies including Aetna Inc. and some BlueCross BlueShield operations plan to raise insurance premiums, mainly on individuals and small businesses, to cover what they claim are increased costs stemming from health-care-reform legislation that became law in the U.S. in 2010.

The article forecasts premium increases in health care coverage on insurance exchanges in the U.S. in 2016, according to the Health and Human Services report.

The article reports that the national health insurance system of Indonesia which aims to provide citizens a safety net is struggling as more patients sign up to pay small premiums for broad medical coverage due to which deficits are increasing and gaps in funding are present.

Reports that UnitedHealth Group Inc. is at the leading edge of the latest trend sweeping the health-care industry: so-called consumer-driven health care. Description of consumer-driven health-care as based on the principle that people will shop for the best care at the lowest price if they have to pay more of the cost themselves; Response to traditional plans in which employers pay most of the bill after modest deductibles and co-pays, leaving consumers with little incentives to curtail their medical spending; Reference to the fact that UnitedHealth has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to buy two pioneering companies in the field that help it offer plans with high deductibles; Impact of a landmark federal law allowing people to build up a health-care nest egg in tax free "health-savings accounts"; Concern that more companies are saying no to traditional health insurance as premiums climb higher.

Focuses on the health-care benefits of retirees being paid by their former employer. Example of John Leasher, a retired chief auditor for Johns Manville, which was bought by Berkshire Hathaway Inc. in 2001, who was informed that health-care benefit costs were increasing; Number of retired Johns Manville employees receiving notification that premiums were increasing; Efforts of Leasher to investigate the company's claim regarding rising medical costs, resulting in a governmental investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor; Excerpts from a letter sent to retirees by Johns Manville chief executive officer, C. L. Henry, indicating the company did not disclose enough information to the retirees.

The article reports on health insurance rate increases approved by regulators in various U.S. states in 2015 such as Tennessee, Kentucky and Oregon in the third year of the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The author asserts that majority of Americans will not be able to afford the U.S. Affordable Care Act health insurance plan as premiums will increase by more than 10 percent starting 2016.

The article discusses research firm Health Pocket's study which showed an increase in health insurance premium, with requirement for insurers to submit rates to state regulators for approval on the OmabaCare exchanges in 2016 under the Affordable Care Act.

The author reflects on the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in the court case King v. Harwell that favors the Affordable Care Act and mentions the plight of the Act's enrollees due to premium increases, premium rate hikes proposed by insurers, and the mandate on maternity coverage in the Act.

The article reports on large health insurance premium increases for 2016 sought by carriers that are selling plans under the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).

The article discusses changes to U.S. federal tax credits, or subsidies, offered to U.S. consumers using the U.S. Affordable Care Act federal health care exchange. Topics include the economic effects of decreased health plan premiums on tax credits, competition in the health insurance market, coverage for uninsured Americans, and renewing health insurance coverage.

The article looks at the U.S. Medicare program, reporting that the premium for most participants will not change from 2014 to 2015, noting some deductible changes, and discussing trends in medical care costs and the possible impact of the 2010 U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The article reports that premiums for health-law plans in California will increase next year as of August 2014 with mention of the effect of the U.S. Affordable Care Act on rate changes in the U.S.

The article discusses a report from the U.S. Republican Party (GOP) which claims that 67 percent of the individuals who purchased health insurance plans through the U.S. government's Healthcare.gov insurance exchange have paid their first month's premium as of May 2014.

The article discusses a report from the U.S. Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in April 2014 which claims that health-insurance premiums for plans sold on the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act exchanges will be lower that expected, focusing on insurance-related cost reductions.

The article discusses the U.S. Affordable Care Act's health-insurance tax that health-insurance companies have to pay on premiums for individuals and small companies, and also examines how this will generate revenue, what effect it will have on small businesses, and whether it will stunt job growth.

The article offers news briefs as of March 15, 2014 on topics including the performance of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services secretary Kathleen Sebelius' projection for health-insurance premiums in 2015, and commissions investors pay for municipal bonds versus corporate bonds.

The law looks at health insurance in the U.S., reporting on March 2014 testimony by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on the likelihood of health insurance premium increases in 2015 and discussing the impact of the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

In this article the author discusses a tax that places a levy on health insurance premiums under the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, effective January 1, 2014, the tax's impact on small businesses, and the individual markets targeted by the tax.

The article reports that the nonprofit charity organization A Better LA will pay the monthly health insurance premiums of fifty people living in Los Angeles, California, a move which has angered insurance companies who say they cannot make a profit unless U.S. health insurance exchanges are used.

The author notes that U.S. President Barack Obama has claimed that the 2010 health-care-reform law will lower premiums for health insurance in New York by 50%, claims the law will repeat practices that have made health-insurance premiums in the state high to begin with.

The article argues that the 2010 U.S. Affordable Care Act will cause health-insurance premiums to rise, and criticizes liberals whom the author says previously denied but now acknowledge the higher costs, which they say are justified by the law's benefits.

The author cites the cost of health-insurance plans being offered by insurance exchanges in California and Oregon in arguing that expanded health coverage as envisioned by the 2010 U.S. Affordable Care Act will result in people paying higher health-insurance premiums.

The article looks at the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, noting the law may push some small businesses' health insurance premiums either up or down beginning in 2014 depending on the age and health status of their employees, and discussing their strategies with respect to the law.

The article discusses the forecasting of the potential increase in health insurance premiums in California as a result of the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, according to a 2013 report by the actuarial consulting firm Milliman for Covered California.

The authors discuss why certain provisions of the 2010 U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, including one that requires health insurers to accept all applicants, will cause health-insurance premiums in the U.S. to rise.

This section offers news briefs related to economic, social and political issues from around the world as of October 2011. The premiums in the health insurance paid by employers in the U.S. during the year was increased by nine per cent. A study found that Chinese competition faced by the U.S. has threatened the overall employment rate. The housing market in Detroit, Michigan is showing signs of recovery.

The author comments on the discrepancy between premiums by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shields, insurers in California, which is seen as a result of the health care reform pushed by Democrats.

The article focuses on the financial support given by majority of U.S. parents to their adult children even after they graduated from college amid the recession. One of them are Pat and Catherine Bearce who support their daughter Andrea in her culinary education, health coverage, cellphone bill and credit card. Unemployment rate for 20- to 24-year-olds is estimated to be 15% versus 9.7% for the entire work force. A survey sponsored by Charles Schwab Corp. revealed that 41% of 1,000 parents have financially support their 23- to 28-year-old children.

The article reports on a provision in the U.S. health-overhaul law which restricts insurers and employers from charging higher rates for young adults who stay on the insurance plans of their parents.

The article comments on the decision of Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick to impose price controls on premiums, which made it impossible in the state for small businesses and individuals to buy health-care coverage.

The article reports on the harsh criticisms faced by U.S. insurers during a congressional hearing on high premium increases by a unit of Wellpoint Inc. in California.

The article reports on the opposition of medical insurance companies to the proposal of U.S. President Barack Obama to form a federal agency to be called the Health Insurance Rate Authority, which will supervise insurance premiums.

The article report that a conflict between the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama and health insurance companies over health-care premiums has intensified on February 18, 2010 following the release of a report by the Department of Health and Human Services highlighting double-digit price increases or attempted surges in six states to justify why the health-care system should be changed.

The article reports on the defense made by WellPoint Inc. on February 11, 2010 over its decision to increase its health-insurance premiums in California, which was used by Democrats to justify the need for health care reform in the U.S.

The article discusses the high premiums that some Medicare beneficiaries in the U.S. will pay in 2010 as a result of following experts' advice to claim Social Security benefits until their full retirement age.

The article reports on the concerns of U.S. business community on possible surge of health insurance costs when the Congress approves the health-care reform bills in 2010. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce calls on the Congress to scrap the Senate bill due to its provisions that will increase costs for employers. Retailers request for longer delay on enrolling new employees to company-subsidized benefits. Big companies such as Boeing Co. and Caterpillar Inc. suggest changes in Medicare tax provision of the Senate bill.

The article reports on a health-care bill provision that offers payouts for long-term care of people with disabilities in the U.S. It is said that such benefit would be given only to people who had contributed premiums for five years. The payout program is aimed at addressing the country's problem on the lack of long-term care insurance. Also noted is the plan of the government to arrange the premiums in order to sustain the solvency of the program.

The article analyzes the motive of U.S. Democrats in criticizing a series of state-level studies from insurer WellPoint Inc. on the impact of the proposed health policy on private insurance premiums. Research has found that the policy would boost premiums for the small businesses and individuals who are Wellpoint's customers in the 14 states studied. The Democrats are believed to be attacking Wellpoint as they do not want people to understand what their health-care schemes will mean in practice.

The author comments on the failure of the Massachusetts health care reform passed by former Governor Mitt Romney in 2006 to reduce costs as it promised, among other pitfalls, amid debates over its national version. She says that the Kaiser Family Foundation found the state to have the highest health-insurance cost in the U.S. at the average of 13,788 dollars for a family. She predicts that costs will continue to rise as insurers plan to raise premiums by 7% to 12% in 2010. She adds that the reform also failed to reduce unpaid-for emergency-room visits.