Navigator Guide FAQ of the Week: Comparing Plans

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

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

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.

Navigator Guide FAQ of the Week: Who is Eligible for Financial Assistance?

Open Enrollment is in full swing across the country. As consumers consider their coverage options, many will qualify for subsidies to help pay for premiums and out-of-pocket expenses if they enroll in a plan through the marketplace. Throughout the enrollment period, CHIR is highlighting frequently asked questions from our recently updated Navigator Resource Guide. In this installation, we answer questions about financial assistance available to individuals and families.

COVID-19 and MLR Guidance on Risk Corridor Recoveries: State Options for Restoring Funds to Policyholders and the Public

The Supreme Court has required the federal government to reimburse health insurers for an estimated $12.3 billion in unpaid risk corridor funds and the Trump administration recently published guidance to insurers that affects the amount to be returned to policyholders. In an Expert Perspective for the State Health & Value Strategies program, Sabrina Corlette and Jason Levitis consider the effects of this guidance and state options for redirecting insurers’ extra cash to benefit policyholders and the public.

Navigator Guide FAQ of the Week: Who Is Eligible To Purchase Coverage Through the Marketplace?

November 1 marked the first day of open enrollment on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. To help Navigators and others assisting consumers with marketplace eligibility and enrollment, we’ve created the Navigator Resource Guide. Each week we’ll feature answers to questions that may be top of mind for consumers, such as who is eligible to shop for a marketplace plan.

State Efforts to Protect Preexisting Conditions Unsustainable Without the ACA

On November 10, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a case that could result in the Affordable Care Act being declared unconstitutional. While there is no clear federal plan to protect people with preexisting conditions if this happens, some states have tried to enact their own laws. In their latest analysis for the Commonwealth Fund’s To the Point blog, CHIR’s Maanasa Kona and Sabrina Corlette assess whether these state-level efforts can fully protect people with preexisting conditions.

Ensuring Access to the COVID-19 Vaccine for Enrollees in Private Health Insurance: A Roadmap for States

States and the federal government are preparing for the approval of a COVID-19 vaccine. But just as important as distributing and administering the vaccine is figuring out how to pay for it. In her latest “expert perspective” for the State Health & Value Strategies program, Sabrina Corlette discusses recent federal efforts to ensure that private health plans cover the full costs of a COVID-19 vaccine, as well as options for states to close potential gaps in coverage.

Navigator Guide FAQs of the Week: I Need Health Insurance. Where Should I buy it?

Open enrollment for the Obamacare marketplaces begins on November 1. While CHIR has been working hard the last several weeks to re-launch its Navigator Resource Guide with updated frequently asked questions and other exciting new features, many are just beginning to think about their health plan options for 2021. For those folks we have some helpful FAQs about the importance of coverage and the process for applying.

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.