Last month, CHIRblog released a trove of investigative reports and case files from the U.S. Department of Labor relating to multiple employer welfare arrangements, including association health plans. CHIR alumna Christine Monahan offers the latest takeaways from her deeper dive into the records. Continue reading
CHIR is releasing several thousand pages of Department of Labor (DOL) investigative records regarding Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements (MEWAs), including Association Health Plans (AHPs), which it received through a 2018 Freedom of Information Act request. CHIR alumna Christine Monahan takes us through what is in these files and how you can access them yourself. Continue reading
States are warning consumers of fraud and about the inadequate nature of some insurance products being sold that masquerade as health coverage. Over the last year, we identified alerts or press releases issued by 15 states warning consumers to be on their guard against deceptive marketing pitches for these products. In their latest post for the Commonwealth Fund’s To The Point blog, CHIR experts spoke with regulators in five of these states to better understand what was behind these warnings and get insight into potential pitfalls for consumers. Continue reading
On November 1, the seventh 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 2020, including: changes to health reimbursement arrangements, new direct enrollment pathways, and recent court rulings on association health plans and the public charge rule. To learn what’s new for 2020, read our CHIRBlog summarizing the major policy changes consumers might encounter this year. Continue reading
As August winds to a close, Georgetown CHIR’s faculty are focused not on pumpkin lattes and back-to-school clothes but on health insurance. The Affordable Care Act’s 7th open enrollment season is just around the corner and we’re gearing up to re-launch an updated and improved Navigator Resource Guide. The Guide, which includes hundreds of FAQs about marketplace eligibility, available coverage options, and post-enrollment issues, will be updated to reflect several changes in federal health policy. Continue reading
On March 28, a federal district court struck down the core of the Trump administration’s new regulation regarding association health plans (AHPs). In a new work for The Commonwealth Fund, Justin Giovannelli and Kevin Lucia examine what the ruling means for states, AHPs, and consumers enrolled in these plans. Continue reading
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
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
After becoming a rallying cry in the midterm elections, pre-existing condition protections have taken center stage on Capitol Hill: in January and February, the House of Representatives held three hearings about protecting people with pre-existing conditions, before the Ways & Means Committee, the Education & Labor Committee, and the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee. As the ACA faces legal challenges in federal court, these proceedings set the scene for how this policy debate will play out in Congress and offer insight into potential legislative action. Continue reading
The expansion of short-term policies has raised concerns that they may be deceptively marketed, with some sellers leading consumers to believe they are buying a comprehensive policy when they are not. While twenty-four states have sought to regulate short-term plans, their efforts may be undermined by a loophole that allows the policies to be sold through out-of-state associations – a practice we found to be quite common. Continue reading