Rachel Schwab

Health Savings Accounts: Robin Hood in Reverse

Posted April 15, 2024 by Rachel Schwab

As another tax filing season comes to a close, millions of Americans have reduced their taxable income through accounts that help pay for medical costs using a “health savings account” (HSA). Members of Congress have put forth bipartisan proposals to expand HSAs, but with the benefits of these accounts primarily accruing to healthier and wealthier Americans, expanding this option could exacerbate an already regressive tax break without improving access to coverage or care.

Early Rate Filings Show Premium Increases, Rising Costs of Care

Posted August 11, 2023 by Rachel Schwab

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has published proposed rate changes for 2024 Marketplace plans. In some states, insurers submitted rate requests earlier in the summer, alongside justifications for the proposed changes to next year’s premiums. CHIR dug into the rate requests from select states with early rate filing deadlines to see what’s behind the premiums consumers could be facing in 2024, both on- and off-Marketplace.

Stakeholder Perspectives on CMS’s 2024 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters: State Insurance Departments and Marketplaces

Posted April 6, 2023 by Rachel Schwab

The Biden administration has proposed new rules for the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) marketplaces in 2024, which are expected to be finalized any day. In the final installment of our annual NBPP stakeholder comment series, CHIR’s Rachel Schwab reviews state responses to the proposed rule.

Proposed Rules on the ACA’s Frequently Litigated “Birth Control Mandate” Aim to Close Gaps in Coverage

Posted March 17, 2023 by Rachel Schwab

Last month, the Biden administration proposed new rules to restore access to free contraceptive services under the Affordable Care Act. In the wake of severely restricted access to reproductive health care, the stakes of the Biden administration’s proposals are high. With comments due on April 3, CHIR’s Rachel Schwab provides an overview of the Biden administration’s proposals and key considerations for consumers’ access to contraceptive services.

The GOP’s Plans for Health Care if they Take Control of Congress: A Mixed Bag for Consumers

Posted October 24, 2022 by Rachel Schwab

The midterm elections are upon us, and most voters view health care as a “very important” issue. Republican House members have put out a health policy agenda through their Healthy Future Task Force. CHIR’s Rachel Schwab looks at several of the task force’s affordability recommendations.

From Cancer Screenings to Prenatal Care, the Latest Challenge to the Affordable Care Act Threatens Availability of Free Preventive Services

Posted August 1, 2022 by Rachel Schwab

The ACA requires that most insurers and employers cover a set of preventive health services at no cost to enrollees. Estimates suggest that more than 150 million people have access to over 100 services such as cancer screenings, contraception, and vaccines without any out-of-pocket costs. A case pending in federal court threatens to cut off consumers’ access by allowing insurers to impose cost-sharing on these services or, in some cases, cease covering them altogether. CHIR’s Rachel Schwab takes a look at some of the currently free services in jeopardy.

State and Federal Policies to Increase Access to Medication Abortion

Posted May 23, 2022 by Rachel Schwab

A leaked draft of an impending Supreme Court decision has previewed the potential for states to prohibit and even criminalize abortion. Access to abortion has long been a story of the haves and have-nots. Medication abortion can improve access to this basic health care service, but the delivery and coverage of medication abortion are subject to numerous restrictions and requirements, creating multi-faceted obstacles for patients seeking care. CHIR’s Rachel Schwab looks at several policy actions that can reduce barriers to medication abortion.

Stakeholder Perspectives on CMS’s 2023 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters: State Insurance Departments and Marketplaces

Posted March 18, 2022 by Rachel Schwab

After the Biden administration issued the proposed 2023 “Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters,” several hundred stakeholders provided feedback on the new set of rules governing the ACA’s marketplaces and health insurance standards. To better understand the impact of the proposed rules, CHIR reviewed a sample of stakeholder comments. For the third blog in our series, Rachel Schwab summarizes comments submitted by state departments of insurance and state-based marketplaces.

Consumers Have More Time to Shop for a 2022 Health Insurance Plan

Posted December 15, 2021 by Rachel Schwab

For the past four years, December 15 has been the deadline for most Americans to enroll in the Affordable Care Act marketplaces for coverage effective the following year. This year the Biden administration has extended the sign-up window for an extra four weeks. CHIR’s Rachel Schwab takes a look at the benefits – and potential risks – of giving people more time to enroll.

State-Based Marketplaces Eye Health Equity, Expanding Enrollment Under New Federal Grants

Posted October 12, 2021 by Rachel Schwab

Last month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced $20 million in grant funding for the 21 state-based marketplaces (SBM). The federal funding, allocated under the American Rescue Plan, will allow SBMs to modernize their technology platforms, outreach programs, and other systems and operations to ensure compliance with federal requirements, including the temporary expansion of marketplace subsidies. CHIR’s Rachel Schwab takes a look at some of the initiatives SBMs are planning with the new grant funding.