CHIRblog

DOJ’s Proposed Remedy in Texas v. United States Is an Unrealistic Solution

Posted August 22, 2019 by CHIR Faculty

In supplemental briefings to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Department of Justice recently proposed that the Affordable Care Act be struck down in the eighteen plaintiff states bringing suit in Texas v. United States, but upheld in all other states. CHIR’s Emily Curran, Dania Palanker, and Sabrina Corlette explain why this “solution” would upend our system of employer-based coverage and is illogical given the ACA’s national reforms.

Will it Fly? Wyoming Attempts End Run Around High Air Ambulance Prices

Posted August 21, 2019 by

Air ambulance charges are a significant source of surprise out-of-network bills for many patients, with charges running into 5 figures. States have been frustrated in their efforts to protect consumers in this context due to a federal law preempting regulation of air carrier prices, including air ambulances. However, the state of Wyoming may have hit on a unique solution – effectively making air ambulance a public utility. Will it work? CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette takes a look.

Preparations for the Affordable Care Act’s 7th Open Enrollment Season: Georgetown’s Updated Navigator Resource Guide

Posted August 16, 2019 by CHIR Faculty

As August winds to a close, Georgetown CHIR’s faculty are focused not on pumpkin lattes and back-to-school clothes but on health insurance. The Affordable Care Act’s 7th open enrollment season is just around the corner and we’re gearing up to re-launch an updated and improved Navigator Resource Guide. The Guide, which includes hundreds of FAQs about marketplace eligibility, available coverage options, and post-enrollment issues, will be updated to reflect several changes in federal health policy.

New Addition to Advocate Toolkit Highlights Options for Protecting Consumers Amidst Expansion of Short-Term Plans

Posted August 9, 2019 by CHIR Faculty

In July, a federal district court judge upheld the Trump administration’s rule expanding availability of short-term, limited duration insurance, or short-term plans, which do not have to comply with the Affordable Care Act’s consumer protections. With the help of CHIR experts, Community Catalyst has published another resource for state advocates and policymakers, providing an overview of short-term plans, insight on unscrupulous sales practices that leave consumers at risk, and state regulatory options.

July Research Round Up: What We’re Reading

Posted August 5, 2019 by Olivia Hoppe

This July, CHIR’s Olivia Hoppe reviewed new studies on coverage gains for workers, the evolution of Accountable Care Organizations, and the effects of the Affordable Care Act’s Medical Loss Ratio rule.

A Perfect Storm: New Federal Rules on Health Reimbursement Arrangements Exacerbate Dangers of Unregulated Products

Posted August 2, 2019 by Rachel Schwab

Next year, new Trump administration rules will allow employers to offer their employees an HRA to buy individual market coverage instead of a traditional group health plan. Because of an obscure provision of the tax code, many employees will be required to use the new accounts to shop for a plan outside of the ACA’s marketplaces, where they’ll face aggressive marketing of products that do not have to comply with the ACA’s consumer protections. Rachel Schwab looks at this perfect storm that puts workers at risk of ending up in the wrong plan.

Federal Rule Creating New Health Coverage Option for Employers Could Destabilize the Individual Market

Posted July 26, 2019 by JoAnn Volk

The Trump administration recently published final rules expanding employers’ use of Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) for employees to purchase individual market insurance. CHIR’s JoAnn Volk assesses the final rule and its implications for employers, employees, and the individual market in an updated post for the Commonwealth Fund’s To The Point blog.

New Resources Arm Advocates with Tools to Defend Essential Health Benefits, Pre-Existing Condition Protections

Posted July 23, 2019 by CHIR Faculty

On July 9, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in Texas v. United States, the court case challenging the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) constitutionality. The litigation is ongoing, but if the plaintiffs prevail, the law could be overturned in its entirety. With the federal court case looming, state policymakers and advocates are looking for ways to preserve access to coverage in the absence of the ACA’s protections, including steps to codify the law’s key provisions into state law. To aid in these efforts, Community Catalyst has teamed up with CHIR experts to create two new guides for its health insurance reform toolkit: The Advocate’s Guide to Pre-Existing Condition Protections and The Advocate’s Guide to Essential Health Benefits.

States Are Taking New Steps to Protect Consumers from Balance Billing, But Federal Action Is Necessary to Fill Gaps

Posted July 22, 2019 by CHIR Faculty

This year has seen a flurry of state-level action to protect patients from surprise balance billing. In their latest post for the Commonwealth Fund’s To the Point blog, CHIR’s Jack Hoadley, Kevin Lucia and Maanasa Kona take a closer look at the latest set of state bills to tackle the issue. They find that lawmakers’ approaches to solving this problem are evolving.

Successfully Splitting the Baby: Design Considerations for Federal Balance Billing Legislation

Posted July 18, 2019 by CHIR Faculty

The U.S. Congress is advancing legislation to protect patients from surprise medical bills. Yet consensus on how to resolve payment disputes between providers and health plans has been difficult to reach. In their latest post for the Health Affairs Blog, Sabrina Corlette, Jack Hoadley, and Kevin Lucia break down different policy approaches, their pros and cons, and how recent state action could suggest a path forward.