The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Plan Choice Challenge: Winning Tools and Considerations for States
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s “Plan Choice Challenge” was a recent competition facilitated by Health 2.0 to spur the development of innovative technology applications that better support consumers as they shop for and purchase health insurance. The State Network and the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) recently hosted a webinar featuring background on the challenge from Health 2.0, an overview of the winning apps, and insights on what states should consider as they explore plan selection tools.
Regulation of Student Health Plans Under Federal and State Law: An Overview
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.
State Network Annual Meeting Presentations and Materials
The State Network hosted its Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA on April 29 – May 1, 2015, bringing together state officials and technical experts to provide technical assistance and discuss lessons learned on continuing implementation of the coverage provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Annual Meeting included peer-to-peer sharing between stakeholders from exchanges, Medicaid agencies, departments of insurance, and governors’ offices throughout the topic specific breakouts on key ACA implementation issues.
1332 State Innovation Waivers: What’s Next for States
Waivers available under Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act offer potentially great flexibility to states in achieving the goals of the ACA through very different means than originally envisioned. They take effect as early as January 1, 2017, and require legislative authorization, substantial public engagement, and negotiation with the federal government. Moreover, without grant dollars to fund the development process, unlike for the establishment of state-based exchanges, 1332 waiver proposals will present additional time and resource challenges for states.
Innovation Waivers: An Opportunity for States to Pursue Their Own Brand of Health Reform
States have long been the testing ground for new models of health care and coverage. Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act, which takes effect in less than two years, throws open the door to innovation by authorizing states to rethink the law’s coverage designs. Under State Innovation Waivers, states can modify the rules regarding covered benefits, subsidies, insurance marketplaces, and individual and employer mandates.
Final HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2016: Brief Summary of Key Provisions for the 2016 Plan Year
On February 27, 2015, the federal Department of Health and Human Services published the Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2016 Final Rule, which included several provisions pertaining to form review. This analysis, prepared by the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms, provides a brief summary of the key provisions specific to form review and other notable provisions specific to the 2016 plan year.
A Guide to Meaningful Difference
Federal regulations state that in order to be certified as a Qualified Health Plan in a Federally-facilitated marketplace, plans must be considered “meaningfully different” from all other plans in their subgroup. This document, prepared by the Georgetown Health Policy Institute’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms, is intended to help insurance regulators to understand meaningful difference standards and the ways in which they are applied by CMS.
Updated: ACA Checklists for Departments of Insurance
Stemming from training at insurance departments in various State Network states, Georgetown University Health Policy Institute (Georgetown) has released updated form review checklists. These resources are designed to help insurance regulators effectively implement Affordable Care Act (ACA) provisions, regulations, and other guidance by ensuring that insurance forms submitted by carriers meet all the ACA requirements.
Webinar: Considerations for 2016 Health Insurance Rate Development, Filing and Review
This webinar explored considerations for 2016 rate development, filing and review based on a compilation of CMS regulations and guidance as well as insights from Wakely Consulting Group Actuaries.
Department of Insurance Consumer Services ACA Toolkit – Marketplace Financial Assistance and Tax Filing Issues, including Form 1095-A
The State Network team at the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute previously developed a toolkit to assist insurance regulators in assuring that Department of Insurance consumer service representatives (CSRs) are well versed in all aspects of insurance basics (for new staff), as well as the changes brought about by the ACA and other recent reforms. The information in this document has recently been added to the consumer services toolkit, and includes updated information on marketplace financial assistance and related tax filing issues, including Form 1095-A.