The Experiences of State-Run Insurance Marketplaces That Use HealthCare.gov

Posted by

Whether their exchange is state-based or federally facilitated, many state policymakers are seeking ways to realize the advantages of a state-run marketplace model while minimizing, so far as possible, the financial and operational burdens of building or maintaining one. In a new issue brief for The Commonwealth Fund, CHIR researchers explore the experiences of four states that established their own exchanges but have operated them with support from the federal HealthCare.gov eligibility and enrollment platform.

Balance Billing for Air Ambulance Remains a Problem in Maryland

Posted by

Although Maryland is among the handful of states that regulate balance billing for out-of-network situations, as we discuss in a previous report, the state’s law does not address air ambulance charges. Balance billing for air ambulances remain a problem in Maryland and its insurance department held a public meeting last Friday to discuss the issue. CHIR’s Sandy Ahn provides highlights of the meeting and other state efforts to address this consumer problem.

Why ACA Marketplaces Should Report Comprehensive Enrollment Data

Posted by

The Affordable Care Act’s new health insurance marketplaces could be critical sources of data about how people access and use coverage. Yet, to date, the marketplaces have released varying degrees of information, with little uniformity or consensus over what data should be collected and how. In our latest post for The Commonwealth Fund, CHIR researchers Sean Miskell, Justin Giovannelli and Kevin Lucia examine data collection and reporting by the health insurance marketplaces.

The ACA Triggers Largest Decline in Uninsured since 1987: Now What?

Posted by

U.S. Census data out last week shows that in 2014, the number of uninsured Americans declined by 8.8 million. As debates about the legitimacy and impact of the ACA fade in the rearview mirror, many policy experts are now shifting their attention to ways to improve the ACA for consumers. CHIR’s Hannah Ellison shares some ideas from a recent Urban Institute report.

The Return of Proposals for Across State Lines Sale of Insurance: Still a Dumb Idea

Posted by

It’s like Groundhog Day. Every 2-4 years, politicians propose to allow the sale of insurance across state lines, arguing that it will make coverage more affordable. But what is the real impact of such policies? CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette shares findings from 6 states that enacted policies to encourage cross-state sales.

More than 400,000 Lose Marketplace Coverage: Let’s Fix This and Keep People Covered

Posted by

This week federal officials released an updated marketplace enrollment report. While close to 10 million were enrolled in coverage as of June 2015, 400,000 people lost coverage because of citizenship data matching problems. In this blog post our colleague at Georgetown’s Center for Children and Families, Sonya Schwartz, notes that many who lost coverage are likely eligible but fell victim to marketplace system problems. She shares insights on how they could be fixed.

Affordable Care Act Legislation Affecting Small Employers Sparks Rare Bipartisanship

Posted by

Yesterday, the Health subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee had a hearing on H.R. 1624, a bill that if enacted, would repeal an ACA provision changing the definition of small employer to 1-100 employees. The bill would also allow states to determine the definition of the small group market; all states currently define the small group market as employers with 1-50 employees. CHIR’s Sandy Ahn shares highlights of the hearing and the debate over the impact on small businesses.

The NAIC’s Summer Meeting: Updating Network adequacy and ACA Transparency Requirements

Posted by

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has been hard at work updating a model state law governing the adequacy of health plan provider networks and revising the ACA-mandated summary of benefits of coverage for consumers. JoAnn Volk serves as a consumer representative to the NAIC and shares details from their recent national meeting as well as upcoming activities.

CMS Awards $67 Million to Assist Consumers with Accessing Coverage OE3 and Beyond

Posted by

Last week the federal agency responsible for implementing the Affordable Care Act awarded $67 million in grants to state and local organizations to serve as marketplace navigators. These groups will conduct outreach to consumers and help them enroll in affordable coverage options. Our colleague Tricia Brooks blogs about why navigators are so important and previews some critical future announcements.

Consumer Assistance and Tools Needed to Ensure that All Eligible Marketplace Enrollees Get Cost-Sharing Reductions

Posted by

A recent study has found that as many as 2.2 million people are missing out on Affordable Care Act cost-sharing subsidies that could make their insurance coverage more affordable. Our Center for Children and Families colleague, Tricia Brooks, discusses some critical tools the state and federal marketplaces could put in place to make sure consumers are getting the financial help they’re eligible for.

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.