…not be required to reconcile premium tax credits on their tax returns. BBB proposes a major change in the marketplace enrollment process by allowing low-income individuals to enroll year-round, whereas enrollment is typically restricted to the annual open enrollment period or special enrollment opportunities that are triggered by certain life events like loss of employer coverage. In addition, the BBB…
…financial incentives for completing the screening. Similarly, 15 percent of large firms and 5 percent of small firms reduced their standards for receiving a financial incentive in health-contingent programs. And while the proportion of employers offering programs to help employees lose weight or stop smoking, or offering other lifestyle or behavioral coaching, remained steady, half of these firms made changes…
…disproportionately in counties that had fewer marketplace insurers in 2018. Counties that gained insurers from 2018 to 2021 were more likely than counties that did not gain insurers during this period to have: a limited number of insurers or a monopolist insurer in 2018; a loss of insurers from 2016 to 2018, and a Republican state government. They were also…
…48-year old “Jen” who takes a generic medication for high cholesterol and has an unspecified heart condition. Both were in a one-person household with an annual income of $20,000 and searching for new coverage because of a loss of employer coverage and a planned move to Texas. in an ACA plan with low premiums and out-of-pocket costs during the COVID-19…
…(some argue that number could be even larger). If these individuals are not successfully transitioned into other forms of coverage, it could lead to a dramatic increase in uninsured, erasing the significant progress that has been made in the last year to boost coverage rates. The loss of Medicaid coverage is likely to disproportionately affect Black and Latino/a individuals, exacerbating…
…the impact of the loss of ARPA subsidies, but they will not entirely protect consumers from the financial hit. Individuals in states without state-specific assistance will be even more vulnerable to loss of coverage and access to care. Ultimately, the budgetary impact of the ARP’s more generous subsidies may create political obstacles to extending the benefit. However, as this study…
…points higher in non-expansion states compared to expansion states (37.7 percent compared to 14.5 percent, respectively). Why It Matters COVID-19 ushered in the most precipitous shock to the American economy since the 2008 financial crisis. As the authors note, COVID-19 constitutes the first major “stress-test” of the ACA. Given widespread job losses, many feared that the economic crisis would lead…
…open enrollment period. A few noted that consumers who enroll after January 1 will miss out on a full year of coverage. Indeed, AHIP said that extending the deadline halfway through January incentivizes consumers to begin the year uninsured. Molina echoed this point saying that this will guarantee loss of coverage for some in January because many consumers wait until…
…popular among employers – 81 percent offer workers one or more wellness programs. Despite their popularity, there is little evidence they reduce costs or promote health. For example, a comprehensive study of employer weight loss programs concluded that “No corporate weight control program has ever reported savings or even sustained weight loss using valid metrics across a sizable population for…
…are still posting healthy profits. In our review of the 2021 Q2 earnings reports of six major for-profit insurers, we found that profits fell for Humana, UnitedHealth, Anthem and Cigna compared to Q2 2020, while Centene reported a loss. However, most insurers appear to be making similar or greater gains compared to their 2019 earnings. Insurer 2019 Q2 Profits 2020…
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