The COVID-19 Vaccine is Coming, but Will it Be Paid For? Federal and State Policies to Fill Gaps in Insurance Coverage

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Vaccinations against COVID-19 are on their way. For consumers in Affordable Care Act plans, immunization should have it fully covered by their insurance. In their latest post for the Commonwealth Fund’s To the Point blog, CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette and Madeline O’Brien review federal and state mandates to cover the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as potential gaps consumers could still fall into.

Navigator Guide FAQ of the Week: Coverage Requirements

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Open Enrollment in most states ends next week, on December 15. As consumers continue to weigh their coverage options throughout the enrollment period, the CHIR team is highlighting frequently asked questions (FAQs) from our recently updated Navigator Resource Guide. In this installation, we answer FAQs about individual requirements to maintain coverage.

The Draft 2022 Notice of Benefit & Payment Parameters: Implications for States

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On November 25, the Trump administration released a proposed regulation, the 2022 “Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters.” It establishes policies governing the ACA marketplaces and insurance market reforms. In her latest article for the State Health & Value Strategies project, CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette focuses on several key provisions that will impact state insurance regulation and the operation of the marketplaces.

November Research Roundup: What We’re Reading

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As the autumn leaves change and the weather gets colder, we at CHIR are thankful for new health policy research. This November, Nia Gooding reviewed studies on policy interventions aimed at lowering health care costs, the impact of eliminating essential health benefits from private insurance plans, and tracking ACA marketplace premium costs for the coming year. 

Navigator Guide FAQ of the Week: What Are the Risks of Buying Off-Marketplace?

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Open Enrollment in most states ends in just over two weeks, on December 15. While consumers are weighing their coverage options, we know that affordability is top of mind. Consumers who are ineligible for the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) tax subsidies might want to look outside of the marketplace for slightly better deals on health plans. While doing so, however, consumers should be wary of what they might find. In this installment, we’ve collected a number of frequently asked questions (FAQs) from our Navigator Resource Guide on junk plans.

Navigator Guide FAQ of the Week: What Does My Plan Cover?

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With Open Enrollment now well underway, consumers are weighing their options for 2021 and trying to find the right plan that meets their health needs. As consumers make their decision, it is important for them to understand what they are buying and what coverage their plan provides. Throughout the enrollment period, the CHIR team is highlighting frequently asked questions (FAQs) from our recently updated Navigator Resource Guide. In this installation, we answer FAQs about marketplace plans’ coverage standards.

The Congressional Budget Office Definition of “Health Insurance” Leaves Room for Wide Coverage Gaps, Discrimination

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The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) frequently estimates how policy proposals will affect rates of health insurance coverage. To make these assessments, the agency relies on a definition including coverage that can discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions and fail to cover key health services like prescription drugs, practices that are outlawed in the individual health insurance market under the ACA. CHIR’s Rachel Schwab takes a look at the CBO’s current definition of health insurance, and the impact it has on health insurance reform efforts.

Navigator Guide FAQ of the Week: Comparing Plans

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With Open Enrollment now underway, consumers are weighing their options for 2021 and trying to find the right plan that meets their health needs. As consumers make their decision, it is important for them to understand what they are buying and what coverage their plan provides. This week the CHIR team answers questions about the various plans offered through the marketplace.

October Research Roundup: What We’re Reading

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In honor of Halloween, this October CHIR’s Nia Gooding reviewed spooky studies on the projected impact of a repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), troubling trends in the child uninsurance rate, and the ever-rising costs of employer-sponsored insurance coverage.

Stable Rates Reflect Strength of ACA Marketplaces

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At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many predicted that insurers would need to dramatically hike their premiums. As it turned out, the opposite occurred, with average rates declining for 2021. In an Expert Perspective post for the State Health & Value Strategies program, CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette and Manatt Health’s Joel Ario examine the factors that led to a stable year for ACA insurance rates.

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.