CHIRblog

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.

States Looking to Run Their Own Health Insurance Marketplace See Opportunity for Funding, Flexibility

Posted July 10, 2019 by CHIR Faculty

Last week, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed legislation to establish a state-based health insurance marketplace. Recently, along with Pennsylvania, several states have taken steps towards transitioning to their own marketplace and enrollment platform. In their newest post for the Commonwealth Fund’s To the Point blog, CHIR’s Rachel Schwab and JoAnn Volk review the latest state actions to transition to a state-run platform and break down some of the incentives for states to leave the federal marketplace.

Is There Really A Question? Intervenor States Have Clear Interest in Defending the Affordable Care Act

Posted July 8, 2019 by CHIR Faculty

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has asked the parties in Texas v. United States to file supplemental briefings on the issue of whether the defendant states attorneys generals have standing to appeal. We take a look at the harm that would be caused to these states if the ACA is repealed.

June Research Round Up: What We’re Reading

Posted July 1, 2019 by Olivia Hoppe

This June, CHIR’s Olivia Hoppe caught up on policy studies and proposals on surprise medical bills, the affordability of coverage on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces, and state-level health system performance.

States Leaning In: Washington Doubles Down on Efforts to Shore up Market, Protect Consumers

Posted June 24, 2019 by Rachel Schwab

In the wake of federal actions to roll back the Affordable Care Act’s reforms, states have assumed an even greater role in protecting consumers and ensuring market stability. Washington State, a long-time leader in state health insurance reform, has taken up that mantle. Since our last post highlighting Washington’s policy playbook, the state has implemented several more policies to preserve their insurance market and bolster consumer protections. CHIR’s Rachel Schwab takes a look at some of the state’s new developments.