Private Insurance

New & Noteworthy

Health Reform
The ACA Family Glitch and Affordability of Employer Coverage
This analysis estimates that 5.1 million people fall into the Affordable Care Act’s “family glitch,” which occurs when a worker receives an offer of affordable employer coverage for themselves but not for their dependents, making them ineligible for financial assistance for marketplace coverage.
Consumer Protections
Surprise Medical Bills: New Protections for Consumers Take Effect in 2022
This summarizes key provisions of the No Surprises Act, enacted in December 2020 to address the problem of unexpected medical bills, and issues that could arise during implementation ahead of its Jan. 1, 2022 effective date.
Rebates
Data Note: 2021 Medical Loss Ratio Rebates
Private insurance companies are expecting to pay out $2.1 billion in rebates to consumers this fall, the second highest amount ever issued under the ACA. The rebates are roughly $400 million lower than last year’s record high of $2.5 billion, but more than 50 percent higher than the $1.4 billion insurers sent back to policy holders in 2019.
Health Costs
2020 Employer Health Benefits Survey

Annual family premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose 4% to average $21,342 in 2020, according to our annual Employer Health Benefits Survey. On average, workers were contributing $5,588 toward the cost of family coverage, with employers paying the rest.

the essentials

Courts
Potential Impact of California v. Texas Decision on Key Provisions of the Affordable Care Act
On Nov. 10, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case that seeks to overturn the Affordable Care Act. This fact sheet summarizes the major provisions of the ACA, illustrating the breadth of its changes to the health care system.
Affordable Care ACt
Pre-Existing Condition Prevalence for Individuals and Families
This analysis estimates that almost 54 million people have pre-existing health conditions that would likely have made them uninsurable in the individual markets that existed in most states before the ACA.
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waivers
Tracking Section 1332 State Innovation Waivers
Through Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), states may apply for waivers to alter key ACA requirements in the individual and small group insurance markets.