Pa. health insurer’s worker, man accused in $289,000 ID theft scheme

Two Philadelphia, Pa., men, one a health insurance company employee, were indicted in August for allegedly stealing about 86 individuals’ information to obtain more than $280,000 in counterfeit checks.  Read Story

U.S. prosecutions of health care fraud trending upward

Federal prosecutors, armed with two new health care fraud teams since February, may log an 85% increase in the number of health care fraud prosecutions this year, compared to last year, a new study says.  Read Story

COBRA subsidy’s end will add millions to rolls of uninsured

A federal program allowing people who lose their jobs to keep the employer-provided insurance expired Aug. 31 after three extensions, leaving millions of beneficiaries and their dependents uninsured.  Read Story

Consumer groups say new health reform rate review rules may lack punch

Federal health reform rules for health insurance rate reviews, which took effect today (Sept. 1), may not be “strict” enough to protect consumers against insurers’ rate hikes, consumer advocacy groups say.  Read Story

OneBeacon selling its AutoOne unit to focus on specialty markets

OneBeacon Insurance Group is selling its AutoOne unit to Interboro Holdings for an undisclosed amount so it can focus on its better performing specialty operations.  Read Story