With the generous support of Arnold Ventures, CHIR experts have launched a new resource center and newsletter to provide policymakers with a dedicated, independent source of unbiased and comprehensive information on public health insurance options and related proposals that promote affordability and contain costs. Find out more.
While federal health coverage reforms remain stalled in Congress, several states are pushing forward to establish modified versions of public health insurance options. In their latest post for the Commonwealth Fund’s To the Point blog, CHIR’s Christine Monahan, Justin Giovannelli, and Kevin Lucia provide an update on implementation of public option-style plans in Washington, Colorado, and Nevada.
The Oregon Health Authority recently released its Public Option Implementation Report, stemming from a legislative directive to develop a plan to make a public health insurance option available in the individual (and potentially small group) market. CHIR’s Christine Monahan takes a look at what’s in the new report and what’s next for the Oregon public option initiative.
This open enrollment, Washington State residents can once again purchase first-in-the-nation public option-style plans. Last year, Washington’s publicly procured plans—touted as a mechanism to improve affordability and competition in the marketplace—were less available and more expensive than proponents had hoped. In 2022, the second year of the program, these plans will offer average rate decreases and are available in a greater number of counties, an encouraging sign for the viability of Washington’s public option.
Congressional leaders requested input from the public on how to design a federal public health insurance option. CHIR’s Christine Monahan compiled and reviewed dozens of publicly available responses and shares key takeaways, as well as links so you can take a closer look.
Washington State enacted a first-of-its-kind public option, with the state-procured plans available beginning in 2020. But the inaugural year yielded underwhelming results, with fewer than 2,000 people enrolled in the plans and premiums that were on average higher than the prior year’s rates. After identifying several barriers to the program’s success, Washington enacted legislation this year to bolster the state’s public option.
Connecticut’s efforts to pass a public option bill for the third year in a row came to an early end in late May when the bill lost Governor Lamont’s support. CHIR’s Maanasa Kona takes a look at the state’s latest attempt and the politics surrounding its failure.
Colorado’s legislature is debating a proposal to curb health insurance premiums that some are calling a “public option.” CHIR’s Megan Houston takes a look at the bill and what it might mean for Coloradan’s access to affordable coverage options.
The American Rescue Plan temporarily increases the availability and generosity of federal premium assistance for people who obtain coverage through the ACA marketplaces. Were Congress to make these premium subsidy enhancements permanent, states would have more breathing space to address other barriers to care, potentially with support from an ACA Section 1332 waiver. In a new work for The Commonwealth Fund, Justin Giovannelli examines how a permanent boost to federal subsidies could give states new and different opportunities to help their residents using the ACA’s waiver program.
Nevada is the latest state to consider sponsoring a public option plan to compete with private insurers on the Affordable Care Act marketplace. CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette takes a look at the proposal now working its way through the state legislature.
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.
