Over the last two years, Georgetown University’s Center for Children & Families has tracked harmful policies such as “zero tolerance” at the border and changes to public charge rules. CCF’s Kelly Whitener summarizes these policies and their harmful effects on children and their families.
A new Georgetown CHIR report synthesizing the case studies of 6 health care markets finds that insurers and employer-purchasers have limited tools and incentives to effectively counter the market clout of increasingly consolidated provider systems. With a lack of market-based solutions, the report raises questions about whether and what policy interventions might be needed.
On November 1, the seventh open enrollment period begins for marketplace coverage under the Affordable Care Act. We at CHIR are tracking several policy changes that could affect marketplace enrollment and plan affordability in 2020, including: changes to health reimbursement arrangements, new direct enrollment pathways, and recent court rulings on association health plans and the public charge rule. To learn what’s new for 2020, read our CHIRBlog summarizing the major policy changes consumers might encounter this year.
Maryland is implementing a program that offers a new, easy way to enroll in comprehensive and affordable health insurance. At the same time, the federal government is considering ending auto renewal in the marketplaces, which facilitates millions of enrollments each year. CHIR’s Rachel Schwab takes a look at Maryland’s new program, and how state and federal enrollment policy can impact consumers’ access to coverage.
Half a dozen states have announced they will transition from HealthCare.gov to their own, state-run health insurance marketplaces. In a new report with the Urban Institute, CHIR researchers assess states’ reasons for making the switch, risks and benefits, and considerations for policymakers in other states contemplating a similar move.
For the September Research Round Up, CHIR’s Olivia Hoppe dives into studies on trends in employer health benefits, potential effects of value-based purchasing, and how hospital consolidation affects prices across the country.
The Trump administration recently announced a new 10-state demonstration project to allow insurers to offer premium or cost-sharing incentives to enrollees who can satisfy or maintain a desired health outcome. CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette examines what we know about wellness programs and what they could mean for people in the individual market.
On December 10, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Maine Community Health Options v. U.S., a case concerning the Affordable Care Act’s risk corridors program. This month, nine stakeholders filed amicus briefs in preparation of the arguments and we reviewed these briefs to identify common themes. One key theme emerged from the stakeholders reviewed: that the Court’s decision could negatively impact public-private partnerships.
The U.S. Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has a new analysis of legislation that would protect patients from surprise medical bills and help settle physician-insurer payment disputes through an arbitration process. CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette takes a look at their projections and three recent assessments of the effect of balance billing laws in New York and California
Legislation to protect consumers from surprise medical bills is advancing on a bipartisan basis in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. In their latest post for the Commonwealth Fund’s To The Point blog, CHIR experts provide an updated analysis of the bills and compare key provisions.
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.
