New Study: Consumers Don’t Understand That Short-term Plans Lack Protections, Benefits

Posted on April 8, 2019 by CHIR Faculty

A study commissioned by consumer representatives to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) finds that consumers face significant challenges understanding the limitations of short-term health plans. These plans, championed by the Trump administration as a cheap alternative to ACA coverage, can leave consumers facing significant out-of-pocket costs if they have an unexpected medical event. Continue reading →

What Does the Latest Federal Court Decision Mean for Association Health Plans – and the States that Regulate Them?

Posted on April 3, 2019 by Sabrina Corlette

On March 28, 2019, a federal district court invalidated the Trump administration’s rule encouraging the formation of association health plans that would be exempt from many Affordable Care Act protections. In her latest “Expert Perspective” for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s State Health & Value Strategies project, CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette provides an update on the court ruling and implications for state insurance departments. Continue reading →

Affordable Care Act Back in the Spotlight: Build on its Progress or Scrap it Entirely?

Posted on March 28, 2019 by Sabrina Corlette

It is hard to find a starker example of the different approaches our two political parties take to health care than the events of March 26, 2019. CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette breaks down the Trump administration’s push to have the Affordable Care Act declared unconstitutional and a comprehensive bill to expand coverage and improve affordability, introduced just hours later by leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives. Continue reading →

Saying Goodbye to a Hero

Posted on March 4, 2019 by CHIR Faculty

Over the weekend we said goodbye to a dear friend. Rob Restuccia lost his 6-month battle against pancreatic cancer, but he never gave up the fight for health equity and justice. We pay tribute to his leadership, commitment and legacy. His life and work inspire us all. Continue reading →

Stakeholders React to the Administration’s Proposed Rule on Health Reimbursement Arrangements. Part 3: Employers, Brokers, and Employee Benefit Advisors

Posted on February 28, 2019 by Sabrina Corlette

In October, the Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services issued a proposed rule that aims to expand the “flexibility and use” of health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs). To understand reactions to the proposal, CHIR reviewed a sample of comments from state officials, insurers, consumer advocates, and employer, broker and benefit advisor groups. In Part 3 of this blog series, we highlight comments from nine employer, broker, and benefit advisory groups. Continue reading →

Efforts to Protect Workers with Pre-existing Conditions

Posted on February 7, 2019 by CHIR Faculty

On February 6, 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Education & Labor Committee held a hearing on threats to workers with pre-existing conditions. CHIR expert Sabrina Corlette was invited to testify and shares her statement here. Continue reading →

It’s All About the Rating: Touted “Benefits” of Association Health Plans Ignore Key Facts

Posted on February 4, 2019 by CHIR Faculty

A recent Washington Post article touted the emergence of association health plans under recent Trump administration rules, noting their lower cost and generous benefits. But the truth is more complicated, as CHIR experts Kevin Lucia and Sabrina Corlette point out, noting that AHPs often rely on medical underwriting and low “teaser” rates to lure new members. As a result, history is littered with insolvencies and even fraud connected to these arrangements. Continue reading →

How Is the Partial Government Shutdown Affecting the Affordable Care Act Marketplaces?

Posted on January 11, 2019 by Sabrina Corlette

We are now in the midst of the longest-ever shutdown of U.S. government agencies, resulting in closed offices, furloughed workers, and discontinued services. CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette takes a look at how the shutdown is affecting the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. Continue reading →

Complacency Slows Aggressive Approaches to Health Care Cost Containment: A View from Three Markets

Posted on December 19, 2018 by CHIR Faculty

Consolidation among hospitals and physician practices is driving a steady rise in health care costs. Employers who purchase insurance and the payers that negotiate on their behalf have a limited set of tools available to counter providers’ demands, but they have also displayed a complacency that has allowed prices to rise with little resistance. In a post for the Health Affairs blog, Sabrina Corlette, Jack Hoadley, and Katie Keith share findings from a series of market-level case studies on responses to provider consolidation. Continue reading →

Center on Health Insurance Reforms

Blogging about health insurance coverage, insurance markets, and how people are affected by insurance reform

Category Archives: Health reform