Associated Press | The Obama administration is making $51 million
available to states that want to beef up oversight of health insurance
rate increases.

Outrage over premium hikes was a turning point in the national health
care debate  this year, after Anthem Blue Cross proposed increases of up
to 39 percent in California. The company ultimately withdrew the plan,
but not before President Barack Obama used it to help revive his stalled
legislation. The $51 million announced Monday is the first installment
of a five-year, $250 million program created under the health care
overhaul law to help state regulators challenge unreasonable rate hikes.
The Health and Human Services department said states can get $1 million
each this year.