Tag: Commonwealth Fund

Proposed Premium Rate Increases for 2016: The Jury Is Still Out

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There’s been some hand-wringing over large proposed premium increases for health plans in 2016. But it’s important to remember that rate requests vary – a lot – by insurer and location. And that these rates are only proposed. They’re subject to regulatory scrutiny, and many proposed hikes may be reduced. In their latest blog post for the Commonwealth Fund, CHIR experts Sean Miskell and Dave Cusano discuss the drivers of 2016 premiums and states’ role in keeping coverage affordable.

Not One, Not Two but Three New Resources from CHIR: Small Business Health Plans in a Post-ACA World

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There’s been some renewed attention to the status and future of the small business health insurance market, particularly as an Affordable Care Act reform scheduled to go into effect in 2016 could cause some disruption. Last week CHIR researchers contributed to three great new resources to help policymakers and others understand changes in the market and some of the challenges ahead.

State Decisions on Allowing Mid-Sized Employers to Delay a Move to the Small-Group Insurance Market

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Beginning in 2016, the Affordable Care Act requires states to change the definition of “small employer” from one with up to 50 employees to up to 100 employees. Such a change could affect health insurance coverage and prices for small businesses and their workers. However, many states are taking advantage of a transition period offered by the Obama Administration that would delay this change. Ashley Williams and Sabrina Corlette, in their latest blog post for the Commonwealth Fund, report on the results of a 50-state survey and the implications for the small group insurance market.

New Proposed Rules for Network Adequacy for Medicaid Managed Care Plans – Lessons Learned from Medicare & the Marketplaces

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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released draft regulations governing Medicaid managed care plans. In setting standards for network adequacy, the agency looked to both the Medicare Advantage program and the health insurance marketplaces created under the Affordable Care Act. Sabrina Corlette examines approaches to ensuring adequate plan networks across the three programs.

The Affordable Care Act CO-OP Program: Facing Both Barriers and Opportunities for More Competitive Health Insurance Markets

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The recent financial troubles of some CO-OP plans created under the Affordable Care Act have sparked questions about the long-term viability of the program. In their latest blog post for the Commonwealth Fund, CHIR experts Sabrina Corlette, Kevin Lucia, Justin Giovannelli and Sean Miskell assess the current status of the CO-OP program, challenges to success, and prospects for the future.

After a Slow Start, Federal Small Business Health Insurance Marketplace Offers New and Improved Functions

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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.

Insurance Premium Surcharges for Smokers May Jeopardize Access to Coverage

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While the ACA limits the power of insurance companies to charge higher prices to consumers based on health status and other factors, the law doesn’t stop insurers from imposing a premium surcharge on tobacco users that can raise the cost of coverage by as much as 50 percent. In a new blog post for the Commonwealth Fund, CHIR researchers discuss the pros and cons of tobacco rating and examine why some states have chosen to ban the practice.

State-Based Marketplaces Offer More Health Plan Choices for 2015 Coverage

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One of the goals of the Affordable Care Act is to make health insurance more affordable and accessible, in part by increasing health plan competition. In their latest blog post for the Commonwealth Fund, CHIR faculty Sean Miskell, Kevin Lucia and Justin Giovannelli find that competition is in fact increasing, and consumers shopping on the state-based marketplaces have more choices among insurers than they did last year.

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.