Category: Implementing the Affordable Care Act

Consumers Should Resist the Urge to Do Nothing and Renew Coverage through the Federal Marketplace

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Saturday, November 15th marks the start of open enrollment in the ACA’s health insurance marketplaces. Of the 9.9 million that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services projects will enroll into 2015 coverage, over 7 million of them are current enrollees who need to have their coverage renewed. In a new issue brief, our Center for Children and Families colleague, Tricia Brooks, outlines what the renewal and eligibility re-determination process is likely to look like for those in the federally facilitated marketplaces.

The Family Glitch Persists, Affordability Measure Increases to 9.56% in OE2

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With open enrollment into the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance marketplaces just around the corner, one trouble spot continues to be the so-called “family glitch,” in which spouses and dependents of individuals with access to employer-based coverage are ineligible for premium tax credits, even if that employer coverage is unaffordable to them. In her latest blog post, our Center for Children and Families colleague, Tricia Brooks, discusses how the family glitch will soon be even more difficult for families to overcome.

The ACA Hit List for the New Congress: A Prescription for Big Premium Hikes

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The recent election brings us a new Congress and a new leadership dedicated to repeal of the Affordable Care Act. But instead of pushing for full repeal, the likely new Senate Majority leader has said he would focus on rolling back only the provisions he’s identified as unpopular, such as the individual mandate. Sabrina Corlette takes a look at why he can’t have his cake and eat it too.

Implementing the Affordable Care Act: Revisiting the ACA’s Essential Health Benefits Requirements

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Within the next several months, federal officials must decide whether to maintain or modify their “transitional” approach to implementation of the Affordable Care Act’s essential health benefits (EHB) requirements. In a new issue brief for the Commonwealth Fund, CHIR researchers examine how states have exercised their flexibility under the current EHB rules.

New Online Resource Provides Answers to Common Health Insurance and Marketplace Questions

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This week, CHIR is releasing an online version of the Navigator Resource Guide, with close to 300 searchable FAQs and easy-to-read background information on key health insurance and marketplace issues. Although designed with the needs of Navigators in mind, the Guide is a hands-on, practical resource for anyone who needs to communicate with consumers about the Affordable Care Act.

Raising the Curtain on Open Enrollment, Round Two

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The second open enrollment period for the health insurance marketplaces, or OE2, is mere days away. Our colleague at Georgetown’s Center for Children and Families, Tricia Brooks, takes a look behind the curtain and gives us a glimpse of what we can expect.

New “Halbig Provision” in Health Plan Agreements Poses Little Threat to Consumers

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Insurers that sell coverage through the ACA’s federally facilitated marketplaces must sign a privacy and security agreement with the federal government. New language gives insurers greater flexibility to end that agreement if premium tax credits cease to be available to marketplace enrollees. Justin Giovannelli explores the significance of this development for consumers.

The Affordable Care Act and the End of Job Lock: Some Early Positive Signs

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A little over a year ago, researchers at CHIR and the Urban Institute predicted a 1.5 million increase in the number of self-employed entrepreneurs, as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It’s too early to know whether this prediction will bear out, but Sabrina Corlette highlights some early anecdotal signs that the law is in fact ending the phenomenon of “job lock.”

Strengthening the Summary of Benefits and Coverage as a Consumer Tool

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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.

Georgetown Navigator Technical Assistance Project: Lessons Learned and Recommendations for Future Enrollment

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Georgetown University experts from the Center on Health Insurance Reforms and the Center for Children and Families released this week a report documenting the experiences over the past year working with Navigators, Certified Application Counselors, and others working to enroll consumers in the health insurance marketplaces. JoAnn Volk, Sandy Ahn, Sabrina Corlette and Tricia Brooks share lessons learned and recommendations for future enrollments in a comprehensive report and two video clips.

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.