…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…
…by the Secretary of Transportation to inform the department’s strategy for oversight of air ambulance providers, as well as guidance concerning unfair and deceptive provider practices. The committee’s work may not stop there, though. The multi-stakeholder membership may also serve as a sounding board for implementation issues and the new law’s effects on networks, contract negotiations, access, and costs. …
…non-ACA compliant coverage types including self-funding with a stop loss policy, group captives, professional employer associations and association health plans. The availability of these types of coverage options varies greatly by state, and is leading to concerns about adverse selection in the small group market. Many small employers remain reluctant to shift their employees to the individual market because of…
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) expanded access to affordable health insurance coverage in a variety of ways. Starting July 1, consumers who faced a job loss this year can return to their marketplace application and find themselves eligible for health plans with a $0 premium and lower out of pocket costs for the remainder of 2021. This blog post…
…state employee plan to mitigate financial risk to the state by purchasing stop-loss insurance on behalf of the unions and small and nonprofit employers and establish a “risk fund,” financed by assessments on these entities to pay any claims that exceed the premiums collected. Allowed plan designs and benefit coverage levels for unions and small and nonprofit employers participating in…
…applies to private-sector employers with 20 or more employees and state and local government employers. Small employers with 19 or fewer employees are not subject to this federal law but might be subject to similar state laws, sometimes referred to as “mini-COBRA” laws in 40 states and the District of Columbia. Qualifying events include job loss (for reasons other than…
…in other areas will preempt the state law unless the state conforms to the federal standard. A new fact sheet from CHIR experts summarizes our current understanding of this preemption framework and highlights considerations for state policymakers and federal regulators. For more on state and federal protections against surprise out-of-network medical billing, visit our one-stop-shop website on balance billing issues….
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.
