{"product_id":"health-insurance-u-s-government-accountability-office-9781289133948","title":"Health Insurance: Hospital Indemnity and Specified Disease Policies Are of Limited Value: HRD-88-93","description":"In response to a congressional request, GAO evaluated states' efforts to regulate hospital indemnity and specified-disease insurance polices and practices to determine whether: (1) the policies provide a minimum level of protection at a reasonable price; and (2) states protect consumers from deceptive marketing materials and inadequate policies. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e GAO reviewed 12 states' requirements for hospital indemnity and specified-disease insurance policies, and found that: (1) five adopted rules similar to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' (NAIC) regulations; (2) the NAIC-recommended loss ratios and those the states established ranged from 45 to 60 percent; (3) 12 states had education programs to help consumers make informed choices about health insurance, as well as procedures for reviewing and resolving consumer complaints; and (4) seven states had procedures for reviewing insurance advertising material. GAO also found that: (1) hospital indemnity and specified-disease policies provide narrow protection and are a poor substitute for more comprehensive policies; (2) 11 of the 98 hospital indemnity policies it reviewed had waiting periods of up to 30 days, while the other 87 had none; (3) 55 specified-disease policies excluded coverage for any preexisting conditions and 9 covered such conditions after 6 to 24 months; and (4) 44 hospital indemnity and 8 specified-disease policies reduced their benefits, increased their premiums, or terminated coverage when policy holders reached ages 60 or 65.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e U. S. Government Accountability Office (\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1289133948\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781289133948\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Bibliogov\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/27\/2013\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 62\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.28lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.69h x 7.44w x 0.13d","brand":"U. S. Government Accountability Office (","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":47611421360383,"sku":"9781289133948","price":17.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_4ba50b87-39ca-49de-9170-16defeeafab4.jpg?v=1764513771","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/health-insurance-u-s-government-accountability-office-9781289133948","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}