Controlling Health Insurance Premiums: Perspectives from the States, the Federal Government and Industry September 19, 2011 Event The Affordable Care Act creates a process for states and the Department of Health and Human Services to review “unreasonable” premium increases and provide information to consumers about the process. The rules governing this rate review process went into effect September 1, 2011. This briefing by the Kaiser Family Foundation,…
Mapping Premium Variation in the Individual Market August 1, 2011 Issue Brief This analysis examines how premiums for individual health insurance differ around the nation, finding that premiums can vary substantially from state to state. The average per-person premium in 2010 ranged in cost from approximately $136 per month in Alabama to more than $400 per month in Vermont and Massachusetts. The…
Remember the People Outside of the Exchanges July 22, 2011 Perspective There has been a substantial amount of focus on the recently released draft regulations governing state-based health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). And that’s appropriate, since the exchanges have the important roles under reform of providing consumers with easier access to insurance and facilitating tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies…
Peering Into the Black Box of Insurance Rating June 7, 2011 Perspective Recently, the New York Times reported that private health insurers continue to seek large premium increases despite seeing lower than expected use of medical care and booking record profits. The story highlights a significant problem for health policy: the lack of good, public information about how health insurers manage health…
Who Will be the H&R Block and TurboTax for Health Insurance? June 3, 2011 Perspective There’s been quite a bit of focus lately insofar as these issues go, anyway on health insurance agents and brokers (sometimes known in the industry as “producers”). They are pushing legislation that has been introduced in Congress and is now being studied by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners that…
Health Coverage for the Unemployed June 1, 2011 Issue Brief This policy brief outlines the challenges facing the unemployed as they seek to remain insured after losing jobs and employer-sponsored health coverage. In May 2011, 13.9 million people in the U.S. were unemployed. Of these, 6.2 million had been unemployed for six months or more and faced limited options to…
Designing a Marketplace that Works: Steps to Affordable Coverage October 22, 2010 Event The Affordable Care Act enacted in March 2010 calls for the establishment of state health insurance exchanges — marketplaces through which individuals and small businesses can purchase affordable insurance. These exchanges must begin operation by January 1, 2014. This October 22 briefing, cosponsored by the Alliance for Health Reform and…
Health Reform Hits Main Street September 23, 2010 Video This short cartoon explains the problems with the current health care system, the health reform changes that are happening now, and the big changes coming in 2014 as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). You can view the video on our site and it is also available on YouTube.
Full Steam Ahead: Implementation Opportunities and Challenges for Employers and Consumers September 8, 2010 Event The new health reform law will significantly affect the way employers provide health coverage to their employees, and will transform many of the choices and protections consumers have in the marketplace. This briefing explored the major provisions in the law that relate to these changes. This September 8 briefing was…
Statement of Gary Claxton to NAIC Exchanges (B) Subgroup July 22, 2010 Event Kaiser Family Foundation Vice President Gary Claxton, who directs the Foundation’s Marketplace Policy Project, testified July 22, 2010, at a public hearing before the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ Exchanges (B) Subgroup established by the health reform law. Testimony (.pdf)