A handful of states are working to improve health insurance affordability by boosting their insurance department’s rate review authority and empowering regulators to look “under the hood” at the prices commercial insurance companies negotiate for health care goods and services. In a recently released report, CHIR experts share findings from a 50-state assessment of rate review programs.
Congress is considering legislation that would make telehealth coverage an “excepted benefit.” CHIR experts discussed how the bill would impact consumers when it advanced in the House of Representatives in early 2023. In light of recent efforts to add the proposal to the government funding package, CHIRblog is republishing their post.
Several state-based Marketplaces have deployed innovative programs to keep people covered during the Medicaid unwinding. In their latest post for the Commonwealth Fund, CHIR’s Rachel Swindle and Sabrina Corlette assess the status of these programs and discuss the urgent need for more timely and accurate data on people transitioning from Medicaid to other forms of coverage.
As we fall into autumn weather, CHIR continues to keep up with the latest health policy research. In September, we read about trends in individual market enrollment, mental health care networks available through the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Marketplace, and employers’ ability to negotiate lower prices for health care services.
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, states have taken action to protect and promote access to abortion. CHIR’s Rachel Swindle and Karen Davenport outline some of these state efforts as they relate to private insurance.
A September 12 vote in Oregon would make it the third state to establish a Basic Health Program, after New York and Minnesota. CHIR and Urban Institute researchers recently examined New York and Minnesota’s experiences with the BHP and the lessons learned for other states considering the program.
As summer was winding down, CHIR was reading up on the latest health policy research. In August, we read about differences between Medicare Advantage and commercial plans’ negotiated hospital prices, the affordability of employer-sponsored insurance for older adults, and the expected growth of 2024 Affordable Care Act Marketplace premiums.
The “Colorado Option” – a unique state effort improve health insurance affordability – is underway. With the first year of enhanced premium scrutiny now completed, CHIR experts Christine Monahan, Nadia Stovicek, and Sabrina Corlette examine how the process unfolded and what it means for consumers.
Millions of Americans rely on Health Care Sharing Ministries (HCSM) in lieu of insurance to provide a financial cushion if they get sick or injured. But data from HCSM public filings suggest that reliance may be built on a shaky foundation. CHIR’s Nadia Stovicek and JoAnn Volk share their findings.
The No Surprises Act is largely working as intended to protect patients from unexpected medical bills. However, the rising number of Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) cases is creating challenges for the health care system. In a post for Health Affairs Forefront, Jack Hoadley and Kevin Lucia evaluate the causes and implications of the increasing number of IDR cases.
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.
