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The Massachusetts Court of Appeals recently issued a decision on the parameters of additional insured coverage called Suffolk Construction Corp. v. Illinois Union Insurance Company, No. 10-P-1336 (Mass. App. Ct. Aug. 15, 2011).  A copy of the decision can be found here by searching for “Appeals Court” and writing “08/15/2011” in the date field. …
Read More Massachusetts Appeals Court Denies “Additional Insured” Status in Construction Injury Case

The law firms of Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP and Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon LLP today announced that they will merge on October 1, 2011 (you can read the press release here).   The new firm, with 13 offices and 650 lawyers, will be known as Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP. …
Read More Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge and Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon LLP Announce Merger

Recently, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) rejected North Dakota’s request for a waiver of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) requirement that individual health insurance plan issuers spend at least 80% of premiums on medical care or quality improvements.  As we previously reported, under the PPACA, the medical loss ratio (MLR) requirement is 80% for individual and small group plans and 85% for large group plans. …
Read More North Dakota’s Request for Medical Loss Ratio Waiver Rejected; Kentucky’s and Iowa’s Waiver Requests Approved

DEBT CEILING CRISIS AVERTED – IMPACT ON MEDICARE PROVIDERS

On the evening of July 31, President Obama announced that he and congressional leaders from both parties had reached a deal on a debt reduction/debt ceiling increase package, paving the way for legislative action to be completed before the August 2 default deadline. …
Read More Healthcare Update: Debt Ceiling Legislation’s Impact on Medicare; CMS Releases Final Inpatient Hospital Rule – August 8, 2011

On July 28, 2011, the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity (subcommittee of the Committee on Financial Services) held a hearing entitled “Insurance Oversight: Policy Implications for U.S. Consumers, Businesses and Jobs.”  Committee members heard from state regulators, as well as various industry executives, a consumer advocate and others, regarding topics spanning from systemic risk in the insurance sector to reform in the producer licensing system.
Read More House Committee Holds Hearing: “Insurance Oversight: Policy Implications for U.S. Consumers, Businesses and Jobs”

Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty (“McCarty”) said this week that he intends to phase in the expected significant rate increases for sinkhole coverage.  As previously reported here, sinkhole coverage was a significant component of Florida recent property insurance reform legislation.  Part of this reform was to lift a cap on rates charged by Citizens Property Insurance Company, Florida’s state-sponsored insurer of last resort. …
Read More Florida Insurance Commissioner to Phase in Rate Increases for Sinkhole Coverage

In State Farm Florida Insurance Co. v. Seville Place Condominium Association, 2011 Fla. App. Lexis 11314 (Fla. 3d DCA July 20, 2011) Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal granted motions for rehearing and rehearing en banc and withdrew its prior October 14, 2009 opinion in the same case.   …
Read More Florida Appellate Court Substitutes Opinion Concerning Premature Bad Faith Claims

On July 26, 2011, the Financial Stability Oversight Council (“FSOC”) released its first annual report, as mandated by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”).  In the report, FSOC describes the current state of the U.S. financial system and includes recommendations for additional steps that should be taken to strengthen the financial system. …
Read More FSOC Releases its First Annual Report as Mandated Under Dodd-Frank