…and states release the data we need to understand how the market is changing? Will we know who’s enrolling in what plans on-marketplace and off-marketplace? You can’t know where the seepage is if you’re not tracking this data. Justin Giovannelli: Issues for insurance companies: I’ll be watching how insurers respond to the repeal of the individual mandate, as well as…
…including only those plan selections completed in the presence of a Navigator. And it leaves out other Navigator services that drive overall enrollment, such as outreach, help estimating income, help with data matching issues, and post-enrollment help. But in my experience, the major flaw in the Administration’s estimate is its failure to recognize the time and effort assisters put into…
…(2) in a one-time payment; (3) after year-end; (4) via the rebate process required under the ACA’s medical loss ratio provisions (with a portion of the rebate going to the federal government)**; or (5) by other means approved by the state insurance regulator. In general, rebate programs can be complex to administer and burdensome for states and insurers alike. It…
…comments from key stakeholders, including insurance companies, consumer and patient advocates, and state marketplace and department of insurance officials. In this first of a series of three blog posts, we examine the comments of the following insurers and insurer associations: Association of Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP) Aetna America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) Centene Cigna…
…University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms (CHIR) identified a range of policy options that state policymakers can consider regarding the regulation of short-term coverage. These policy options include: Banning or limiting the sale of short-term coverage. State policymakers could require short-term coverage to comply with rules for the individual market or the ACA market reforms; limit the duration of short-term…
Open enrollment for HealthCare.gov comes to an end on December 15th, smack in the middle of the holiday season. And while there may be the temptation to wait around this year to shop for coverage (we’re talking to you Christmas Eve shoppers) or not shop at all since you know you’ll be automatically re-enrolled into a plan, this year shopping…
…MLR enforcement program to ensure that insurers are meeting the current MLR standards. This trend toward a federal relaxation of the MLR standard comes at a critical time, as insurance companies continue to ask for premium rate increases that reflect growing uncertainty over potential federal policy changes under the Trump administration. While there is no doubt that insurers are justified…
…care providers, payments made for prescription drugs, and payments for transportation essential to medical care. According to a recent Commonwealth Fund survey, close to one-fifth of U.S. adults spend 10 percent or more of their income on medical expenses, not including premiums. In 2015, 8.8 million people claimed a total of $87 billion in medical deductions on their tax returns….
…them higher premiums based on their health status, and exclude critical benefits. While rulemaking is still underway, it is inevitable that the availability of these products will require companies offering ACA-compliant plans to increase their prices, to account for the loss of healthy enrollees who gravitate to the cheaper, non-compliant options. One health expert I recently spoke with called the…
…including a plan comparison worksheet that can help you compare plans. Also, if there are particular local doctors, hospitals or prescriptions drugs you want covered, you’ll want to check out healthcare.gov’s look-up tool for doctors, hospitals, and prescription drugs under health plans. Be aware, however, these tools may not always be up-to-date. You may want to verify the information with…
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.
