Health reform

Fix it, Don’t End it: Common Sense Prescriptions for Individual Market Stability

Posted March 27, 2017 by

For the time being, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the “law of the land.” But increasing uncertainty about the policy future has left the individual insurance market at risk and could result in fewer choices and higher premiums, In the past, Congress has demonstrated that it can arrive at bipartisan solutions to tackle insurance market challenges and help consumers. CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette outlines what a common sense ACA reform package could look like.

House Proposal to Promote Association Health Plans Poses Risks for Insurance Markets, Consumers

Posted March 27, 2017 by CHIR Faculty

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to promote federally certified association health plans (AHPs) on March 22, 2017. Widely seen as a “second phase” of Affordable Care Act repeal, the AHP proposal poses significant risks for small employers and would hinder states’ ability to protect their consumers. In their latest post for The Commonwealth Fund, Kevin Lucia and Sabrina Corlette take a look at the bill and what it would mean for the small business health insurance market.

With all Eyes on AHCA, House Advances 3 Bills that Could Reduce Benefits, Raise Costs for People in Employer-Based Coverage

Posted March 13, 2017 by CHIR Faculty

While all eyes were on the House reconciliation bill to repeal and replace parts of the ACA, another House committee advanced three bills that could have a far-reaching impact on people with employer-based coverage. CHIR experts take a look.

Stakeholders React to HHS’ Proposed Market Stabilization Regulations: Part 1 – Insurers

Posted March 9, 2017 by Emily Curran

In February, the Department of Health & Human Services released proposed rules affecting the ACA’s health insurance marketplaces. In response, they received close to 4,000 public comments. In the first of a series of three posts examining reactions among health care stakeholders, CHIR’s Emily Curran assesses the reaction of insurance companies.

Reading the Fine Print: Do ACA Replacement Proposals Give States More Flexibility and Authority?

Posted February 27, 2017 by

State leaders have been heartened by statements from the new President and Congressional leaders that ACA replacement plans will give them more autonomy over their health insurance markets. But is that really true? In a post for the Health Affairs blog, CHIR experts Sabrina Corlette and Kevin Lucia examine the fine print of House and Senate replacement plans and find that they broadly preempt state authority.

Repealing The ACA Could Worsen The Opioid Epidemic

Posted February 2, 2017 by CHIR Faculty

As our country grapples with an “unprecedented opioid epidemic,” Congress is taking steps to take away an important tool to fight it — the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In a post for the Health Affairs blog, CHIR expert Dania Palanker and Urban Institute researchers Lisa Clemans-Cope and Jane Wishner assess policies and programs under the ACA that have helped tackle the opioid crisis and what could be lost if they are repealed.

Congress Asked States for Health Reform Ideas. They May Be Surprised by What They Hear

Posted January 31, 2017 by

Shortly after the election, Congress asked state officials to provide input on repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. CHIR expert Sabrina Corlette tracked down 34 of those letters, and found the responses – particularly from states with Republican leaders – to not not always be what she expected. She shared her top takeaways here.

Uncertain Future for the Affordable Care Act Leads Insurers to Rethink Participation, Prices

Posted January 27, 2017 by CHIR Faculty

Amid an uncertain future for the Affordable Care Act, insurers face crucial decisions whether to remain in the market and how to price their plans. In their latest issue brief for the Urban Institute, CHIR experts report on interviews with a wide range of insurers participating in the individual market in 28 states.

State Experiences Show Why Repealing the ACA’s Premium Subsidies and Individual Mandate Would Cripple Individual Health Insurance Markets

Posted January 26, 2017 by CHIR Faculty

What will happen if the Affordable Care Act is repealed without a replacement? In their latest article for The Commonwealth Fund, CHIR experts Justin Giovannelli and Kevin Lucia find that it could look a lot like the regulatory landscape that existed in several states that tried to enact health reform in the past. The lessons from those experiences are grim.

President Obama’s Health Care Legacy

Posted January 12, 2017 by

The end of the Obama Presidency is an opportunity to step back and assess his health care legacy and the historic accomplishment of health care reform. CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette shares her take for CNN.