April showers bring May flowers, and May was abloom with health policy research. Last month, we read about the impact of ending pandemic-related coverage policies, consumer awareness of the resumption of Medicaid renewals, and approaches to tackling rising health care costs in commercial health insurance markets.
The U.S. House of Representatives’ Education & Workforce Committee is poised to advance H.R. 2813, legislation that would expand self-funded employer plans in the small group market and preempt state insurance regulation. CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette testified about the bill at an April 26, 2023 committee hearing.
On May 15, 2023, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily paused the Braidwood v. Becerra ruling by a federal district court. That court’s decision would have blocked federal enforcement of the ACA’s requirements that insurers cover and waive cost-sharing for preventive services. In their latest post for the State Health & Value Strategies project, Sabrina Corlette and Tara Straw discuss who is impacted, and how states can help protect their residents.
The transparency of health care prices can help policymakers, employers, and researchers identify the drivers of cost growth and target solutions. In her latest post for Health Affairs’ Forefront, Sabrina Corlette identifies how states can play a role making health plan price data more accessible and usable.
The U.S. House of Representatives’ Education & Workforce Committee is considering several bills affecting the affordability and accessibility of employer-sponsored insurance. CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette was invited to testify on these proposals and the state of private insurance generally.
The Biden administration has published its rules for the ACA’s insurers and Marketplaces for plan year 2024. In a post for Health Affairs’ Forefront, Sabrina Corlette reviews what is changing, and what is not.
Winter is finally over, and health policy research is in full bloom. In March, we read about disparities in health insurance coverage for people of color, medical debt, and preventive service usage among private health plan enrollees.
The U.S. Department of Justice has requested that a Texas district court suspend its decision to strike down the ACA’s preventive services benefits while it pursues an appeal. In her latest Health Affairs Forefront article, CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette explores what could happen if a stay is not granted in the case.
Along with “Health Policy Valentines,” February brought a host of new health policy research. This month, we read about trends in medical and pharmacy spending, the relationship between health systems’ financial performance and amounts paid by commercial plans, and mental health provider network adequacy.
High and rising health care prices are a key driver of increased cost sharing in employer plans. A significant contributor to rising prices is the consolidation in health care provider markets. In the third post of a series on policy options to improve the affordability of employer-sponsored insurance, CHIR’s Maanasa Kona and Sabrina Corlette explore strategies to limit provider consolidation and anti-competitive behavior.
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.
