Tagged with ACA Affordable Care Act
New CBO Estimate shows ACA Mandate Repeal Cuts CHIP Funding Costs
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) recently announced that the repeal of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) individual mandate will significantly cut the cost to fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for five more years.
Texas Health and Human Services Commission Requests $90M in CHIP Funding
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has requested $90 million in additional funding from CMS in hopes of keeping the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) afloat through February 2018.
OH – State Review Panel Releases Medicaid Funds
The Ohio Controlling Board voted unanimously to continue funding for the state’s Medicaid Program, releasing $264 million in state funding needed to qualify for $638 million in federal matching funds.
House Votes to Continue CHIP Funding
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 242-174 to reauthorize federal funding to maintain low-cost health insurance to 8.9 million children and 370,000 pregnant women under the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The Healthy Kids Act extends CHIP’s federal funding for five years and federally qualified health centers for two years.
Senate Leaders Draft Bill to Stabilize Individual Insurance Market
Two Senate health committee leaders announced their joint plan for a short-term deal on a bipartisan health care deal aimed at stabilizing the individual insurance market by extending cost-sharing subsidy payments to insurers for two years.
FL – 44.7% Proposed PPACA Rate Increase for 2018
Florida state officials have announced submission of the proposed rates for 2018 ACA plans. According to the announcement, premiums may increase by 44.7% next year for ACA compliant plans.
CMS Announces $10M Budget to Promote ACA Open Enrollment
CMS has announced its plans for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Navigator program and enrollment promotion for the upcoming open enrollment period. The agency says it will spend $10 million on promotional activities in order to meet the needs of new or returning ACA enrollees – 10% of the $100 million spent last year to promote enrollment through digital media, email, and text messages.
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves FY18 HHS Funding Bill
The Senate’s Appropriations Committee has approved its fiscal 2018 bill for Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) funding. The bill provides $36.1 billion for National Institutes of Health (NIH), as well as allocates monies for research on Alzheimer’s disease, the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies Initiative®, and the Precision Medicine Initiative’s (PMI’s) All of Us Research Program.
RI – Exchange Plan Rate Increases Approved for 2018
The Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner approved health insurance premium rates in Rhode Island for 2018 that include exchange plan rate increases ranging from 5% to 12.1% for 2018.
States to Receive $200M in Funding to Combat Infectious Diseases
CMS and the CDC have announced that all 50 state health departments as well as local health agencies in several large metropolitan areas including Chicago and New York will receive some of the money under the agency’s Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases Cooperative Agreement program.
OH – State Developing 1332 Innovation Waiver
The Ohio Department of Insurance is developing a 1332 Innovation Waiver which would exempt Ohio from the individual and employer mandates established under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
ME – State Insurance Companies Want Double-Digit Rate Increases For 2018
Harvard Pilgrim, Maine Community Health Options, and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield are each requesting double-digit rate increases for 2018. The three insurers cite political uncertainty and a higher percentage of unhealthy policyholders as reasons for their requests.
Medical Liability Reform Bill Passes House
In a vote of 218-210, the Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017 (H.R. 1215) has passed the House of Representatives and will now advance to the Senate for consideration.
IN – Request for Medicaid Recipients to Work Could Face Challenges
The Governor of Indiana is seeking permission from CMS to require some Medicaid beneficiaries to be employed or searching for work to be eligible for the Healthy Indiana 2.0 (HIP) plan, but since public comments were not permitted, the state request could be facing some legal challenges.
MA – New State Budget Establishes Fees to Counter Rising Health Care Costs
Massachusetts lawmakers recently approved an annual budget, in a 140-9 House vote, that will incorporate fees on businesses to be used to cover the state’s ever-rising health care costs.
CMS Releases 1991-2014 Health Care Spending by State
CMS’ Office of the Actuary (OACT) has released its ‘State Health Expenditure Accounts’ report detailing state-level health care spending data for the period 1991-2014. The data reveals large differences of personal healthcare spending from region to region as well as growth in spending in non-expansion states that show similar rates in Medicaid expansion states.
Temporary Change to Medicare Rules Offer Reprieve from Late-Enrollment Penalties
Medicare has temporarily changed its rules to offer a reprieve from penalizing consumers who may have missed deadline to enroll in Medicare and kept ACA policies after becoming eligible for Medicare.
TX – Medicaid Demonstration Renewal Requested
Texas is asking CMS to extend its 1115 Medicaid waiver program despite findings from its own evaluation which showed little change towards improved access.
OH – Anthem BCBS to Exit Ohio ACA in 2018
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield has announced it will leave the Affordable Care Act market in Ohio in 2018 and will reduce its footprint in the state to one off-exchange product in one county.
NY – Insurers seeking Double-Digit Rate Increases
New York health insurers are seeking premium rate increases averaging 16.6% in the individual market and 11.5% in the small group market for 2018.