Congress has enacted legislation that includes provisions to lower financial barriers to COVID-19 testing for privately insured individuals. However, the new law includes several loopholes that could expose consumers to unexpected medical bills. CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette takes a look.
Surprise medical bills, which were already a concern for many consumers, are expected to increase because of the coronavirus crisis. While Congress should adopt a comprehensive solution for all patients, protecting those affected by coronavirus is critical and should be done quickly. In a post for the Health Affairs Blog, Jack Hoadley, Kevin Lucia, and Katie Keith propose an immediate, short-term solution that Congress could adopt now to protect patients from surprise bills due to coronavirus.
In the midst of a global pandemic, consumers continue to be sold skimpy short-term plans that may not cover necessary testing and treatment. In their latest post for the Commonwealth Fund’s To the Point blog, Dania Palanker and Christina Goe assess the ability of insurance regulators to understand the scope of the short-term plan market in their states and its impact on consumers’ ability to access and afford care.
The novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has been the cause of confusion and anxiety for individuals and families across the country, especially when it comes to health care. We’ve pulled together some frequently asked questions, and added new COVID-19-specific inquiries, from our Navigator Resource Guide to help guide Navigators, brokers, assisters, and consumers through this complex and trying time.
Small businesses have historically struggled to provide coverage to their workers. The ACA sought to address these issues through the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP), creating marketplaces for small employers to offer coverage to their employees. In a new post for the Commonwealth Fund’s To the Point blog, CHIR experts take a look at ways that state-based marketplaces are investing in their SHOPs, and how some are seeing enrollment growth and savings for small businesses.
The past few weeks have tested the U.S. health care system. In a world where we are all at risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19, access to health care is a universal human need. On the 10th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, CHIR takes some time to consider how battling this pandemic would have been even more difficult if it weren’t for this groundbreaking federal law.
Many people may hesitate to seek coronavirus testing and treatment because they face significant deductibles or other cost-sharing under their insurance policy. In their latest post for the Commonwealth Fund’s To the Point blog, CHIR experts Sabrina Corlette, Kevin Lucia, and Madeline O’Brien take a look at how states are stepping up to require insurance companies to expand their coverage in the face of an unprecedented public health crisis.
High profile contract disputes between insurers and providers appear to be on the rise, raising the risks of disruptions for patients and unexpected out-of-network billing. In a new report for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, CHIR experts examine best practices among state regulators and insurers to protect consumers and provide recommended policies and procedures to mitigate risks when a provider leaves a health plan network.
This February, CHIR’s Olivia Hoppe reviewed new research on health care costs and utilization, surprise bills after in-network elective surgery, acquisition of physicians by private equity firms, and rates of charity care by nonprofit hospitals.
The cost of medical care associated with the novel coronavirus can be a barrier for many people who should get tested, raising a public health risk. Given our patchwork quilt system of health insurance coverage and the lack of a timely and comprehensive federal response, CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette and Kevin Lucia consider actions states can take to encourage people to get the care they need.
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.
