Q: What challenges do you anticipate your particular state running into with upcoming health care reform provisions?
BR: We believe the timeline for implementation of many of the provisions is aggressive.
Q: For producers licensed to sell health insurance in your state, what developments might they look out for?
BR: Producers play a vital role in serving Nebraskans' selection of appropriate health care plans, and also in after-sale service. Understanding the immediate market reforms will be a vital initial step in continuing that role. The development of plan benefit design by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will also be important to monitor.
Q: What should producers concentrate on the most over the next 10 years with regard to health care reform's affects in Nebraska?
BR: Monitoring ongoing health reform issues is the most important aspect. Selecting continuing education offerings that meet this objective will be helpful. We also believe that producers should watch for ways to leverage technology and information to help them serve their customers.
Q: Is your state doing anything differently or preparing in any special way for health care reform?
BR: In addition to monitoring the ongoing developments, NAIC model development, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regulations, Nebraska is using a rate review grant to find ways to update our rate review process. Nebraska is also participating in an exchange-planning grant. We have hired two staff members dedicated to planning and reviewing issues related to the exchange. In addition, we have been meeting with interested parties and soon will be holding a series of stakeholder meetings in various locations in Nebraska. Nebraska has issued one notice of clarification of group size for insurers relating to administering medical loss ratio for small-group plans.
Bruce Ramge was appointed director of the Nebraska Department of Insurance by Gov. Dave Heineman on Nov. 15, 2010. He had served as acting director since Oct. 30, 2010, and as deputy director of the department since January 2008.
More state insurance regulator Q&As:
North Carolina
Nebraska Facts At-A-Glance
| Nebraska | United States | |
| Demographics | ||
| Total population | 1,772,400 | 303,343,300 |
| Median annual income | $50,333 | $49,945 |
| Health costs and budget | ||
| Health spending per capita | $5,599 | $5,283 (by state of residence) |
| Average employee contribution for family premium (% of total premium) | 29% | 27% |
| Health coverage | ||
| Uninsured population (% of total population) | 12% | 17% |
| Uninsured children (% of children) | 8% | 10% |
| Medicaid enrollment (% of total population) | 14% | 19% |
| Medicare enrollment (% of total population) | 15% | 15% |
| Monthly CHIP enrollment, June 2009 | 23,744 | 4,966,030 |
| Health status | ||
| Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) | 5.9 | 6.8 |
| Teen death rate (per 100,000 population) | 65 | 62 |
| AIDS diagnosis rate (per 100,000 population) | 4.3 | 12.3 |
| Overweight or obese children (% of children) | 31.5% | 31.6% |
| Adults who visited the dentist/clinic (% of adults) | 71.3% | 71.3% |
| Adults with disabilities (% of adults) | 10.3% | 12.1% |
Source: Kaiser Family Foundation State Health Facts
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