State regulators approve federal guidelines for health insurance

In a vote Thursday at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' fall meeting, state regulators agreed to forward their proposal to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which will either adopt or modify the recommendations.

The proposed regulations would require health-insurance companies to spend at least 80 percent of a customer's premium on providing health care and medicines. For customers covered by large-group plans, the insurance company must spend 85 percent of the premium on health-care.