As ACA opponents continue to vilify, challenge and undermine the law, four states that have been vocal opponents of the law have taken action recently to enforce federal rules, protect consumers and stabilize their markets. JoAnn Volk sums up the state action.
HHS released the final Section 1557 rule, completing the suite of non-discrimination rules that constitute some of the most dramatic recent changes in health insurance regulation. JoAnn Volk looks at how the rules stack up in protecting consumers with pre-existing conditions.
The ACA prohibits benefit limits and cost sharing that discriminate against individuals based on health status and other factors, but federal rules also stress that insurers can continue to use reasonable medical management, which would allow benefit limits based on certain circumstances. JoAnn Volk looks at what this may mean for regulators and consumers trying to tell the difference.
The NAIC held its Spring Meeting earlier this month and looked at SEPs, balance billing, risk adjustment and more. JoAnn Volk sums up the meeting and looks ahead to work to come.
There’s no question the ACA has been successful in reducing the number of uninsured. But what has that coverage meant for helping more people obtain affordable health care services and attain financial security? CHIR researchers visited 3 diverse communities to find out. JoAnn Volk reports on a new CHIR study that tells the story.
Last week, HHS, Treasury and Labor released a proposed revised template for the Summary of Benefits and Coverage, giving the public 30 days to comment. JoAnn Volk provides an update on the long road to these changes, including key changes sought by consumers.
At the NAIC’s most recent meeting, two issues stood out: the long-coming Network Adequacy Model Act was finally adopted, and regulators took another look at how insurers count costs for the Medical Loss Ratio. JoAnn Volk provides a summary of the action.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners wrapped up work on recommended changes to the Summary of Benefits and Coverage. JoAnn Volk provides an update on what some of those changes are and how consumers may benefit.
Most Americans see the need for more data about health insurance and how it’s working for consumers, and the insurance industry itself seems to recognize the importance of collecting and analyzing data. But it’s not clear that our government regulators do. JoAnn Volk looks at the mismatch between what insurers are undertaking and what federal rules will require for data collection.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has been hard at work updating a model state law governing the adequacy of health plan provider networks and revising the ACA-mandated summary of benefits of coverage for consumers. JoAnn Volk serves as a consumer representative to the NAIC and shares details from their recent national meeting as well as upcoming activities.
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the individual blog post authors and do not represent the views of Georgetown University, the Center on Health Insurance Reforms, any organization that the author is affiliated with, or the opinions of any other author who publishes on this blog.
