Telemedicine: Another Tool in the Toolkit to Meet Network Adequacy Standards?

Health plans have been increasingly narrowing their provider networks, raising concerns about gaps in access to services for consumers, particularly in areas with provider shortages. Could telemedicine be used to help fill those gaps? CHIR authors say not yet and summarizes key findings from a new report published in partnership with the Urban Institute and with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Missouri’s Health Reform Assisters Triumph In Court

Health reform advocates experienced a win last month, when a federal court in Missouri struck down three sections of a state law that interfered with the ability of health insurance navigators and other in-person assisters to help consumers understand and enroll in new coverage options. CHIR’s own Emily Curran reviewed the court’s decision and provides some takeaways.

15 States and DC Now Prohibit Transgender Insurance Exclusions

Three years ago, only 3 states and DC prohibited insurance companies from excluding care for transgendered individuals from health plans. Today, that number has grown to 15 states, signalling that state policymakers are increasingly recognizing that transgender policy exclusions fly in the face of medical evidence and laws prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity. Our former CHIR colleague, Katie Keith, shares findings from an assessment of state actions and their impacts.

Insurance Company Earnings Calls—A Useful Resource for Your Toolbox

The quarterly earnings calls of publicly traded health insurance companies can provide insights into major business developments, as well as how company executives expect market trends and policy actions to affect future performance. CHIR’s Emily Curran regularly listens into these calls and highlights how they can be useful for health policy wonks.

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.