Category: Implementing the Affordable Care Act

Ensuring Access to the COVID-19 Vaccine for Enrollees in Private Health Insurance: A Roadmap for States

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States and the federal government are preparing for the approval of a COVID-19 vaccine. But just as important as distributing and administering the vaccine is figuring out how to pay for it. In her latest “expert perspective” for the State Health & Value Strategies program, Sabrina Corlette discusses recent federal efforts to ensure that private health plans cover the full costs of a COVID-19 vaccine, as well as options for states to close potential gaps in coverage.

Navigator Guide FAQs of the Week: I Need Health Insurance. Where Should I buy it?

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Open enrollment for the Obamacare marketplaces begins on November 1. While CHIR has been working hard the last several weeks to re-launch its Navigator Resource Guide with updated frequently asked questions and other exciting new features, many are just beginning to think about their health plan options for 2021. For those folks we have some helpful FAQs about the importance of coverage and the process for applying.

September Research Roundup: What We’re Reading

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This September, CHIR’s Nia Gooding reviewed new studies on state health system performance, differences in health care spending between Medicare and private payers, and deceptive insurance marketing practices.

As Insurers Return to ACA Marketplaces, SCOTUS Case Looms Large

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The ACA marketplace has seen many disruptions since its implementation but in a sign of greater stability, major insurers are re-entering the marketplace or expanding their footprint. CHIR’s Megan Houston assesses the factors that are driving these insurers’ decisions, just as the ACA faces another challenge from the Supreme Court next month.

Updating the Essential Health Benefit Benchmark Plan: An Unexpected Path to Fill Coverage Gaps?

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Many feared that Trump administration rules issued in 2018 would result in less-generous benefits in Affordable Care Act health plans. However, five states have now enhanced their essential health benefit benchmark plans under these rules. In a post for the State Health & Value Strategies program, CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette and Manatt Health’s Joel Ario examine how these states were able to do so.

Aggressive Medical Debt Collections: COVID-related Consumer Protections Could be a Model for Long-term Relief

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A new investigative report shows that even the COVID-19 crisis has not stopped many hospital systems from using aggressive collections practices to collect on unpaid medical debt. CHIR’s Maanasa Kona takes a deep dive into the problem of medical debt and aggressive collections practices, and how the government can step in to protect consumers.

August Research Roundup: What We’re Reading

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The month of August went by in a flash, or painstakingly slowly, but either way it produced some great health policy research. CHIR’s Nia Gooding provides our monthly round up of health insurance-related studies and analyses.

Labor Day in a Pandemic: The Varnish of “Gold Standard” Employer Coverage is Wearing Thin

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CHIRblog took a break for Labor Day, but in light of the holiday, we continue to think about problems workers face getting access to affordable health insurance. Employer plans are often touted as the “gold standard” in health insurance. But millions of workers with job-based plans are underinsured, facing high cost sharing and premiums, and the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating problems with inadequate coverage as well as insurance access.

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.