Insurer’s fourth quarter earnings showed a decline in profits after the surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations at the end of the year. CHIR’s Megan Houston considers how the pandemic has impacted health plans and how this fits into overall trends from the past year. Continue reading
Health insurers spent millions to defeat the ACA in 2010. Ten years later, major insurers are joining a growing coalition of supporters working to expand the law. CHIR expert Megan Houston considers why insurers are now embracing the ACA while Democrats now control Congress for the first time since the ACA was passed a decade ago. Continue reading
As stakeholders wait for the final 2022 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters (NBPP) CHIR’s Megan Houston reviews the key takeaways from the comments submitted by insurance carriers. Continue reading
As the year comes to a close, CHIR’s Megan Houston reflects on the continued financial success of health insurance companies throughout the pandemic despite their repeated warnings of pent up demand. Continue reading
On November 1, the eighth open enrollment period begins for marketplace coverage under the Affordable Care Act. We at CHIR are tracking several policy changes that could affect marketplace enrollment and plan affordability in 2021, including: impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, new special enrollment periods, and recent court rulings on contraception coverage and the public charge rule. To learn what’s new for 2021, read our CHIRBlog summarizing the major policy changes consumers might encounter this year. Continue reading
As hearings begin for the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, Senators are using their time to emphasize the case challenging the ACA that will be heard one week after election day. CHIR expert Megan Houston reflects on the protections secured by the ACA that many now are taking for granted. Continue reading
The ACA marketplace has seen many disruptions since its implementation but in a sign of greater stability, major insurers are re-entering the marketplace or expanding their footprint. CHIR’s Megan Houston assesses the factors that are driving these insurers’ decisions, just as the ACA faces another challenge from the Supreme Court next month. Continue reading