Issue Briefs , Regulatory Analysis | May 15, 2015

Regulation of Student Health Plans Under Federal and State Law: An Overview

Kayla Connor and David Cusano, Center on Health Insurance Reforms, Georgetown Health Policy Institute

In March of 2012, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a regulation defining student health plans as individual health insurance under federal law. As a result, they are now subject to the same consumer protections afforded to all those covered by individual health insurance set forth in the Public Health Service Act, as amended by the Affordable Care Act. This issue brief, prepared by the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, examines student health plans, which cover over 1 million students, and investigates the interplay between federal and state regulation with regard to these plans.


Expert Perspectives

April 12, 2021

COBRA Assistance in the American Rescue Plan Act: A Guide for States

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was signed into law on March 11, 2021 as a signature effort to assist in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the related economic downturn. Included as part of the sweeping legislation is a program to fully subsidize COBRA coverage for six months starting in April of 2021. This expert perspective provides a short overview of COBRA and mini-COBRA, the major elements of the ARPA COBRA Assistance program, and considerations for state policymakers related to the program.