CHIR Faculty

Strengthening the Summary of Benefits and Coverage as a Consumer Tool

Posted October 22, 2014 by CHIR Faculty

The Affordable Care Act requires all insurers to provide a Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) so that consumers have a tool to help them understand what is covered under their health plan. Unfortunately, minimal oversight of this requirement has led this tool to be less useful than it could be, at a time many consumers struggle with basic health insurance literacy. CHIR’s Sandy Ahn highlights the efforts of one state – Utah – to strengthen the SBC and make it more meaningful for consumers.

Employer Coverage Remains Steady, But Long Term Trends Highlight Need To Strengthen All Forms Of Coverage

Posted October 13, 2014 by CHIR Faculty

A recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that employer coverage is remaining steady, and premiums have increased only modestly. But long term trends suggest an erosion in employer-sponsored health benefits. CHIR’s Sean Miskell takes the pulse of employment-based insurance and emphasizes the need to strengthen all pillars of coverage.

Helping States Address Transparency of Health Plan Provider Networks

Posted October 10, 2014 by CHIR Faculty

During the past few months, CHIR faculty have examined the proliferation of narrow provider networks associated with plans on the health insurance marketplaces. Here, Sally McCarty discusses lessons learned and potential solutions offered by two faculty work products.

Advocates File Civil Rights Complaint with HHS on Coverage Termination Day

Posted October 5, 2014 by CHIR Faculty

Last week, on the day that 115,000 people who bought coverage in the federal marketplace lost that coverage, the National Immigration Law Center filed complaints with HHS’s Office for Civil Rights alleging that the federally facilitated marketplace violated civil rights law and the Affordable Care Act’s anti-discrimination provisions. Our colleague at Georgetown’s Center for Children and Families, Sonya Schwartz, analyzes the concerns that underlie these filings.

Taking Stock and Taking Steps to Improve Consumer Assistance

Posted October 4, 2014 by CHIR Faculty

A new report released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Kaiser Family Foundation chronicles the challenges, innovations and lessons learned about the needs of consumers for assistance in accessing and using health coverage options under the Affordable Care Act. Our partner in our Navigator technical assistance project, the Georgetown Center for Children and Families’ Tricia Brooks, has this overview.

New Issue Brief Reviews Employee Choice in Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Marketplaces

Posted September 22, 2014 by CHIR Faculty

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) aims to improve access to health insurance coverage for small-business employees by creating a Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Marketplace in every state. One key feature of SHOP Marketplaces is employee choice whereby employees can select among multiple insurers and plans for health insurance coverage that best suits their needs. CHIR’s Sarah Dash and Kevin Lucia review how SHOPs are implementing employee choice in a new Health Policy Brief published by Health Affairs.

Question on Stand-alone Dental Plans and Upcoming Open Enrollment

Posted September 15, 2014 by CHIR Faculty

With the change in weather, we’re beginning to field questions related to the upcoming 2015 Open Enrollment period as part of our technical assistance work funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. We recently received a question about the consequences of not paying premiums for stand-alone dental plans (SADP) in federally based Marketplaces. Sandy Ahn provides a summary on this issue.

We Can Fix This, People! More than Half of Uninsured Parents Are Hispanic

Posted September 12, 2014 by CHIR Faculty

A recent Urban Institute study found that over half (57 percent) of uninsured parents are Hispanic. Our colleague from Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families, Sonya Schwartz, discusses some of the factors that limit the accessibility of coverage for Hispanic and Spanish-speaking individuals, and offers strategies to fix the problems.

Damaging House Bill Would Undo Health Reform Protections and Raise Small Business Premiums

Posted September 9, 2014 by CHIR Faculty

The U.S. House of Representatives is debating legislation this week that would undermine consumer protections for small employers and cause premiums to increase for many. Edwin Park of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities shares a new analysis of the bill and its impact on small businesses.

Do Nothing to Renew or Get an Updated Eligibility Determination? CMS Puts out Final Marketplace Renewal Rules

Posted September 7, 2014 by CHIR Faculty

Last week the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published final rules for the health insurance marketplaces and participating insurers to renew consumers into coverage for 2015. Our colleague from Georgetown’s Center for Children and Families, Tricia Brooks, discusses what the rule means for consumers and their families.