Tag Archives: association health plans

When Policy and Politics Conflict: Challenges to State-level Market Stabilization Efforts

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Within the last month, Delaware has adopted two policies with diametrically different effects on their small business insurance market. One would help make the market stronger and more stable, the other would do the opposite. CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette delves into some of the challenges facing states seeking to stabilize their health insurance markets during a time of considerable policy upheaval. Continue reading →

Impact of Association Health Plans on Consumers and Markets Will Depend on State Approaches

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In June, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a final regulation that implements President Trump’s executive order encouraging the expansion of association health plans for small businesses and self-employed individuals. Under these rules, professional or trade associations will be permitted to sell health plans that are exempt from many Affordable Care Act protections as early as September 1, 2018. To better understand how these new rules will affect states, CHIR experts interviewed six state regulators. Continue reading →

To Understand How Consumers Are Faring in the Individual Health Insurance Markets, Watch the States

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Through both inaction and design, federal policymakers have put the onus on states to ensure access to affordable, adequate health insurance. In a new work for The Commonwealth Fund, CHIR researchers are launching an interactive map that will track and describe state actions likely to affect residents’ access to individual market coverage. Continue reading →

A Main Reason New York and Massachusetts Will Sue the Administration Over the Final AHP Rule? Fraud and Abuse

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New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood (D) and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey (D) announced that they will sue the administration over the final association health plan rule released by the Department of Labor on June 19, arguing that it is unlawful, will result in fewer consumer protections, and “invite[s] fraud, mismanagement and deception.” CHIR’s Emily Curran dives into association health plans and their complicated history. Continue reading →

What’s in the Association Health Plan Final Rule? Implications for States

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The Trump administration has released new rules to expand the availability of association health plans that are exempt from many of the Affordable Care Act’s consumer protections. In her latest article for State Health & Value Strategies’ Expert Perspectives blog, CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette covers key provisions of the new policy and digs into the implications for states, insurance markets, and the consumers and small businesses that purchase private coverage. Continue reading →

New Georgetown-Society of Actuaries’ Report: Estimating the Impact of Association Health Plans on the Individual Market

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The Trump administration is expected to shortly finalize new rules expanding the availability of association health plans (AHPs) that are exempt from key Affordable Care Act regulations and standards. In a new article for The Actuary, CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette joins co-authors Josh Hammerquist and Pete Nakahata to provide an overview of federal and state AHP regulation and estimate the impact of AHPs on the ACA-compliant individual market. Continue reading →

The Future of the Affordable Care Act under President Trump: Stakeholders Respond to the Proposed Association Health Plan Rule. Part V: Departments of Insurance

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In this final blog in our series reviewing stakeholder comments on the Department of Labor’s proposed rule to expand Association Health Plans, CHIR’s Emily Curran summarizes responses from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and nine state departments of insurance (DOI). While the DOIs expressed some areas of support for the proposed rule, their comments were largely negative, with most expressing deep concerns about the rule’s ambiguity. Continue reading →

The Future of the Affordable Care Act under President Trump: Stakeholders Respond to the Proposed Association Health Plan Rule. Part IV: Business Groups

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In a recent proposed rule from the Department of Labor, the Trump administration has proposed major changes to the regulation of Association Health Plans (AHPs). In the fourth blog of our series examining feedback from stakeholders, CHIR’s Olivia Hoppe summarizes comments from twelve business groups. Continue reading →

The Future of the Affordable Care Act under President Trump: Stakeholders Respond to the Proposed Association Health Plan Rule. Part III: Insurers

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The U.S. Department of Labor received over 900 comments on its proposed rule, which aims to promote the growth of Association Health Plans. In this third blog of our series examining feedback from stakeholders, we summarize comments from ten of the largest health insurers and associations. Continue reading →