…personalized plan comparisons being available. Late in the month, McClellan told reporters that the feature definitely would be ready before Nov. 15, the date when seniors can begin signing up for the drug benefit. Yesterday [November 8], McClellan announced that the time had come. … But the tool itself appeared to be in need of fixing yesterday. Visitors to the…
…to comprehensive and affordable health insurance. In the discussion that followed, the guests highlighted some of the benefits of the ACA. Antos said that people with pre-existing conditions now shut out of insurance will soon gain access to coverage under the law’s guaranteed issue and non-discrimination rules. And he said employees of small employers will have better and more affordable…
…offer the full range of plans to customers. By providing software and counseling, the exchanges will help consumers make informed comparisons among these offerings. The exchanges will initially serve only individuals and employees of companies with no more than 50 employees. But in 2016 the exchanges will open to companies with 51 to 100 employees. In 2017, they may open…
…new start-ups, the marketplaces are sure to experience glitches, especially right after launch. Similar concerns arose during the rollout of the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit program in 2005. For example, transitioning low-income Medicare beneficiaries from Medicaid drug coverage to Part D involved data exchanges among states, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and private drug plans. Before…
…should be MSP options in all 50 states. But that doesn’t mean these states will see new competition. Turns out, the company behind these “new” plan options is the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and its state-based Blue Cross Blue Shield affiliates. There’s great irony here. Many states with highly concentrated insurance markets have been hungry for new competition and…
…the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has done in creating a special website – www.healthreformbeyondthebasics.org – where you’ll find fact sheets, webinar recordings, slides, and other resources on some of the more complicated aspects of financial assistance and coverage options. It’s probably not the best starting point for entry-level assisters, but is a great resource for those with a…
…pool over the long term. In insurance parlance, this is called an adverse selection “death spiral.” By comparison, delaying the employer mandate has a negligible effect on coverage levels, costs, and the overall risk pool of the exchange. The Urban Institute also provides a very important reminder of how incredibly disruptive congressional action to delay the mandate would be. Thirty-two…
…application process requires applicants to the Navigator Program to establish their existing ties to the community. These navigators are mostly drawn from non-profit groups like food banks, community health centers, hospitals, and other community service providers, with long experience assisting people with enrollment in public programs, like Medicaid or other public health insurance coverage, and other assistance or counseling programs….
…launch October 1. As my colleague Tricia Brooks documented last week, about half of the 104 organizations awarded federal navigator grants received an official demand from majority members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to produce reams of paper documents associated with their grants, as well as all related communication with state and federal officials, and even Enroll America….
In 18 days, the health insurance exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will open for business. Although initial glitches are likely, functionality of the exchanges will improve over time and October 1, 2013 will mark a new era in the way that individuals, families and small business shop, compare and buy health insurance. No longer will insurers be…
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.
