Coalition Demands Crucial Information About Association Health Plan Rulemaking

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On March 1st, a coalition of stakeholders, including Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms (CHIR), the DC Health Benefit Exchange, the Acting Attorney General of Hawaii, AFL-CIO, Center on Capital & Social Equity, Families USA, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Partnership for Women & Families and the Small Business Majority released a letter calling on the Department of Labor (DOL) to withdraw or substantially delay the proposed regulation regarding Association Health Plans (AHPs).

February 2018 Research Round Up: What We’re Reading

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In CHIRblog’s February installment of What We’re Reading, CHIR’s Olivia Hoppe digs into new research that highlights the consequences of the recent short-term limited-duration health plan rule, the effects of expanded private insurance on access to primary and specialty care, the impact of the ACA’s dependent coverage provision on birth and prenatal outcomes, and an assessment of state-level efforts to expand access, affordability, and quality of coverage.

Short-Term, Limited Duration Insurance Proposed Rule: Summary and Options for States

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New proposed rules from the Trump administration would loosen current federal restrictions on short-term, limited duration insurance products. In their latest brief for the State Health & Value Strategies program, CHIR experts Sabrina Corlette, JoAnn Volk, and Justin Giovannelli summarize the proposed rule and its potential impacts and provide a menu of options for states seeking to protect consumers and stabilized their individual markets.

State Regulators Keep a Watchful Eye on Healthcare Companies’ Federal Tax Cut “Windfalls”

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In December, President Trump signed the Republican tax reform bill into law, which among other things, eliminates the health insurance mandate penalty and reduces the corporate tax rate from 35 to 21 percent. The bill provides for $1.5 trillion in tax cuts over the next decade, mostly benefiting high-income earners and corporations, which Republicans hope will stimulate economic growth. Now, a few months into effect health care companies are taking stock of how the tax law benefits their bottom line and how to best invest the savings for future success. CHIR’s Emily Curran looks into how some state regulators are reacting.

Proposed Federal Changes to Short-Term Health Coverage Leave Regulation to States

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The Trump administration issued proposed rules on February 20, 2018 that rescind Obama-era restrictions on short-term, limited duration insurance products. This action, if finalized, would leave regulation of short-term health plans almost entirely to states. In their latest post for The Commonwealth Fund’s To the Point blog, CHIR experts Dania Palanker, Kevin Lucia, Sabrina Corlette and Maanasa Kona review current short-term plan standards in a sampling of 10 diverse states.

If It Talks Like Insurance and Walks Like Insurance: The Curious Case of Direct Primary Care Arrangements

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For decades, elite “concierge” practices have been providing easy access to primary care in return for several thousand dollars in retainer fees. Recently we’ve seen the emergence of more affordable versions of this arrangement, with monthly fees that cost far less than the average ACA marketplace plan premium. At first blush, these arrangements, frequently called “direct primary care arrangements” (DPCAs), might seem like a way to ensure access to health care services in the face of rising health insurance premiums. CHIR’s Maanasa Kona explains why this is not always the case.

Stepping in When States Don’t Step Up: First “State-Based” Plans Filed in Idaho, Violating the Affordable Care Act

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Last week Blue Cross of Idaho filed the first “state-based” health plans, products that don’t comply with the Affordable Care Act’s requirements for coverage offered on the individual market. When a state can’t or won’t enforce federal law, the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) is supposed to step in. CHIR’s Rachel Schwab outlines HHS’ authority to protect the rule of law and ensure that Idaho consumers continue to receive the benefits they are promised under the ACA.

New Funding Opportunity Allows States to Bolster Consumer Protections

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On February 5th, the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) put out a Notice of Funding Opportunity. The federal agency anticipates that $8.1 million is available for state initiatives focused on insurers’ compliance with federal market reforms and consumer protections, giving states the opportunity to improve their oversight efforts. With the February 26th deadline for letters of intent just around the corner, CHIR’s Rachel Schwab provides an overview of the new grant program.

January 2018 Research Round Up: What We’re Reading

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In the past month, new research highlights the regressive effects of high health plan cost sharing. In our first post for CHIRblog’s new What We’re Reading series, CHIR’s Olivia Hoppe dives into some recent health insurance and financial equity research.

Proposed Federal Changes to Short-Term Health Coverage Leave Regulation to States

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The Trump administration is expected to reverse federal limitations on short-term insurance, which does not have to comply with Affordable Care Act rules like preexisting condition protections. In their latest post for the Commonwealth Fund’s To the Point blog, CHIR’s Dania Palanker, Kevin Lucia, Sabrina Corlette, and Maanasa Kona examine how ten states currently regulate the short-term insurance market.

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.