Enrolling in marketplace health insurance is already a tall order for many consumers because of the time and effort involved to sign up. This year is gearing up to be even more challenging. CHIR’s Olivia Hoppe details why this Open Enrollment will be her toughest yet as a Certified Application Counselor.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has increased access to health care by expanding coverage and reducing the number of uninsured, but problems facing consumers and insurers have some calling for repealing, replacing, or repairing the law. It seems every day we are presented with a new replacement plan or proposed rule, leaving the future of the health care landscape uncertain. Recently, CHIR sent Rachel Schwab to cover two D.C. events that brought together health policy experts to discuss the options and obstacles in front of us.
There’s a national election approaching but it isn’t for President. In just one week, consumers can vote for a new health plan on the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance marketplaces. To help them through that process, CHIR is proud to re-launch the Navigator Resource Guide, a searchable, online resource for close to 300 frequently asked questions about private health insurance and the marketplaces.
On Monday, September 26th, CHIR’s very own Sabrina Corlette spoke at a briefing on the future of ACA marketplaces put on by the Alliance for Health Reform. Ms. Corlette joined representatives from Anthem, the American Action Forum, and Covered California to discuss the forecast for 2017 and potential policy solutions to expand coverage and access in the individual market.
With intense focus on enrollment in the Affordable Care Act marketplaces, enrollment through the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) has flown under the radar by comparison. In their latest blog post for the Commonwealth Fund, Kevin Lucia, Justin Giovannelli and Sean Miskell discuss early challenges for the SHOP as well as recent improvements.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi has included a new provision in its plan description that could mean huge costs for plan participants. The new policy does not cover prescription drugs prescribed by out-of-network providers. How does this policy square with the ACA? And what does it mean for consumers? Elissa Dines discusses.
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means held an oversight hearing during which they questioned CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner on the technical issues Healthcare.gov has faced since its launch. But the hearing went well beyond Website problems. Elissa Dines tuned in and offers this report.
We at CHIR are excited to announce the arrival of two new colleagues who will be helping us navigate the world of health insurance and the new health insurance marketplaces. Please join us in welcoming David Cusano and Justin Giovannelli.
On Friday, the Obama Administration announced that they were closing the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plans (PCIPs) to new enrollment. Sabrina Corlette takes a look at the decision and what it means for consumers – and for implementation of the ACA.
Whether or not small employers will begin self-funding in greater numbers as the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented continues to be a hot topic. In the midst of significant media attention, Christine Monahan looks at two states that have decided to take action.
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.
