provider networks

A Progress Report on Washington’s Public Option Plans

Posted March 6, 2023 by CHIR Faculty

Washington State’s “public option” program is now in its third year. After initial cost and access challenges hindered the program’s reach, growing insurer participation and recent enrollment data suggest meaningful progress is being made. CHIR’s Christine Monahan and Madeline O’Brien provide an update on how Washington’s public option plans performed in the recently concluded open enrollment period, outlining key issues to watch as Washington moves forward with its first-in-the-nation program.

Trump Administration Pushes for Sale of Insurance Across State Lines

Posted March 27, 2019 by Rachel Schwab

Recently, the Trump administration issued a request for information (RFI) seeking recommendations on ways to facilitate the sale of insurance across state lines, allowing insurers to bypass the insurance standards of states that have strong consumer protections and benefit requirements by headquartering in a state with few regulations in place. The policy is often touted as a way to reduce the cost of coverage and improve consumer choice, but states and insurers have been reluctant to embrace it. A CHIR study conducted after the ACA was signed into law sheds light on why.

The FAA Reauthorization Bill – An Unexpected Vehicle for Relief from Surprise Medical Bills?

Posted May 24, 2018 by Maanasa Kona

More often than not, air ambulance services are called in to serve people in severe physical distress who do not have the capacity at the time to provide consent. Yet many are later hit with huge surprise out-of-network charges for the flight. State departments of insurance and state legislators across the nation have taken notice of this issue and sought to protect consumers, but a federal law that has nothing to do with health care prevents them from regulating air ambulance providers. CHIR’s Maanasa Kona explains two potential federal remedies.

Telemedicine: Another Tool in the Toolkit to Meet Network Adequacy Standards?

Posted April 6, 2016 by CHIR Faculty

Health plans have been increasingly narrowing their provider networks, raising concerns about gaps in access to services for consumers, particularly in areas with provider shortages. Could telemedicine be used to help fill those gaps? CHIR authors say not yet and summarizes key findings from a new report published in partnership with the Urban Institute and with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.