MO health insurers to pay rebates

Some of Missouri's largest insurance companies are expected to refund nearly $65 million to consumers this year because they failed to meet efficiency standards under the new health reform law, consumer and health advocates say. According to a report by Consumers Union, the insurers that will pay the largest rebates in Missouri's individual and small business markets include Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield; Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City; and United Healthcare. Insurers slated to pay smaller rebates in these markets include Coventry, Humana, and others. Under the new law, health insurers who write policies for small businesses and individuals are penalized for failing to meet a new requirement that at least 80 percent of premiums must be spent on actual medical care and activities that improve the quality of care.