Issue Briefs | Aug 11, 2013

ACA Implications for State Network Adequacy Standards

Georgetown University Health Policy Institute – Sally McCarty and Max Farris

This brief, prepared by the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, explores some of the discrepancies that can arise with varying network adequacy standards and provides examples of how some states have resolved such issues. Network adequacy refers to a health plan’s ability to deliver the benefits promised by providing reasonable access to a sufficient number of in-network primary care and specialty physicians, as well as all health care services included under the terms of the contract.

States have taken different approaches in regulating the adequacy of health plan networks based on their state-specific market. States have a variety of options available to maintain robust health insurance markets by balancing access needs with the goals of controlling costs and attracting a healthy number of insurers. Appendix A serves as a comparison table of different network adequacy standards and requirements.  Appendix B provides a narrative description of network adequacy standards in California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and the Federally-facilitated Marketplace.

 

 


Expert Perspectives

April 25, 2025

Medicaid Cuts and the States: Tracking State-Specific Estimates of the Impacts of Proposed Changes

Congress is considering a variety of federal policy changes that will have significant impacts on the Medicaid program, widely expected to reduce enrollment and federal Medicaid funding to states. A variety of state-level estimates have been released, which can be helpful for states as they consider how various policy proposals might impact their Medicaid programs. This expert perspective highlights state agencies that have estimated and quantified the potential impacts of various proposals on enrollment and spending. SHVS will continue to regularly monitor published estimates from states and update this expert perspective.

April 24, 2025

Analyzing the Impact of Potential Medicaid Cuts: Overview of a Toolkit for States

The budget reconciliation process is continuing to move forward in Congress and includes developing proposals in the House to identify $880 billion in federal savings over the next ten years, the vast majority of which will need to come from Medicaid. To support states in informing and validating their own fiscal and program impact estimates of federal policy changes, Manatt Health has developed, with support and input from State Health and Value Strategies, a new toolkit providing national and state-by-state data on the potential impact of key cuts under consideration in Congress. This expert perspective provides an executive summary of the toolkit and has been updated to include estimates of state-by-state impacts of making work requirements a condition of Medicaid eligibility.