Oklahoma proposes Medicaid coverage for 175,000 currently uninsured; a report finds State-based Marketplaces boost Medicaid enrollment growth rates; and CMS issues a final rule on mental health parity in Medicaid and CHIP....more
4/6/2016
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Contraceptive Coverage Mandate ,
Employer Mandates ,
Enrollment ,
Medicaid Expansion ,
Mental Health ,
SCOTUS ,
State Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Zubik v Burwell
STATE STAFFING UPDATES:
Nevada: New Insurance Commissioner Appointed -
The Director of Nevada's Department and Industry announced Barbara Richardson as the Commissioner of the Division of Insurance. Richardson...more
3/2/2016
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
GAO ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Healthcare.gov ,
Managed Care Contracts ,
Medicaid ,
Medicaid Expansion ,
Native American Issues ,
OIG ,
State Health Insurance Exchanges
Medicaid expansion cuts the number of low-income adults without health insurance in Kentucky by nearly 70%; the Georgia legislature considers a "Private Option" coverage expansion bill; and CMS and AHIP collaborate on quality...more
Louisiana's Governor pushes ahead on Medicaid expansion, while expansion is blocked by Wyoming's Legislature; Massachusetts plans to submit a 1332 waiver application to preserve its merged markets; and CBO lowers its 2016...more
1/28/2016
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Healthcare.gov ,
Medicaid ,
Medicaid Expansion ,
Medicare ,
Prescription Drugs ,
State Budgets ,
State Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Tax Credits
Minnesota's Task Force recommends maintaining their State-based Marketplace while Oregon considers bringing back theirs; CMS narrows the criteria for special enrollment periods; and President Obama seeks an extension of full...more
Guidance from HHS and Treasury sets a high bar for 1332 waiver approvals; Kentuckians support Medicaid expansion and their State Marketplace despite plans to change course; and South Dakota's executive budget includes funds...more
12/16/2015
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Co-Op ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Health Insurance ,
IRS ,
Managed Care Contracts ,
Medicaid Expansion ,
Public Health Insurance Marketplace ,
Shared Responsibility Rule ,
State Health Insurance Exchanges ,
U.S. Treasury ,
Waivers
Kansas legislators supportive of Medicaid expansion are pulled from committee; Montana’s Medicaid expansion is off to a strong start; and New Mexico sees declines in uncompensated care since ACA implementation....more
11/18/2015
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Final Rules ,
Healthcare.gov ,
Legislative Committees ,
Managed Care Contracts ,
Medicaid Expansion ,
Medicaid Reform ,
Request for Proposals ,
State Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Waivers
With the election of a new Governor, the future of Kentucky’s Marketplace and Medicaid expansion is uncertain; CMS questions Iowa on its Medicaid managed care transition timeline; and the Supreme Court agrees to hear a case...more
11/11/2015
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Co-Op ,
Contraceptive Coverage Mandate ,
Hepatitis C ,
Medicaid ,
Medicaid Expansion ,
Medicaid Reform ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
SCOTUS ,
State Health Insurance Exchanges
Montana receives approval to expand Medicaid beginning 2016; California’s $6.2 billion Medicaid waiver receives pre-approval; and HHS proposes broadening circumstances under which states receive enhanced federal matching...more
11/5/2015
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Co-Op ,
Comment Period ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare.gov ,
Medi-Cal ,
Medicaid ,
Medicaid Expansion ,
Medicaid Reform ,
Native American Issues ,
Open Enrollment ,
Proposed Amendments ,
Public Health Insurance Marketplace ,
State Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Waivers
Arizona seeks Medicaid Waiver to implement new coverage restrictions for Medicaid expansion enrollees and delivery system reform; Tennessee’s uninsured rate continues to drop; and Louisiana gubernatorial candidates line up...more
10/21/2015
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Co-Op ,
Co-payments ,
Cost-Sharing ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
DSRIP ,
Enrollment ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Hospitals ,
Medicaid ,
Medicaid Expansion ,
Medicaid Reform ,
OIG ,
Public Health Insurance Marketplace ,
Qualified Health Plans ,
State Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Tax Credits ,
Waivers
New study shows Marketplace premiums parallel the employer market; Montana likely to select a private insurer to administer benefits to its Medicaid expansion population; and Washington’s Exchange customers will begin paying...more
9/30/2015
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Audit Reports ,
Blue Cross ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Co-Op ,
Cost-Sharing ,
Deductibles ,
Eligibility ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Employer Mandates ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Hospitals ,
Medicaid ,
Medicaid Expansion ,
Medicaid Reform ,
Minimum Essential Coverage ,
NYDFS ,
OIG ,
Public Health Insurance Marketplace ,
State Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Verification Requirements
The GAO reports an increase in choice of plans both on and off Marketplaces; Hawaii submits the first 1332 waiver application, with a focus on substituting the employer mandate and SHOP provisions with pre-existing State...more
9/16/2015
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Employer Mandates ,
GAO ,
Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Healthcare.gov ,
Medicaid ,
Public Health Insurance Marketplace ,
SHOP Program ,
State Health Insurance Exchanges
Colorado’s uninsured rate is down 9 percentage points in four years; Michigan requests increased cost-sharing for its Medicaid expansion population above the federal poverty line; and, HHS’s proposed guidance strengthens...more
9/10/2015
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Comment Period ,
Cost-Sharing ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Disability Discrimination ,
Draft Guidance ,
Federal Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Gender Discrimination ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Medicaid ,
Medicaid Expansion ,
NPRM ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Public Health Insurance Marketplace ,
Qualified Health Plans ,
Sex Discrimination ,
Sexual Orientation Discrimination ,
State Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Tax Credits ,
Transgender ,
Waivers
CMS permits states to use income information from other means-tested benefit programs for Medicaid eligibility determinations; Alaska’s Medicaid expansion is given the green light to launch today; and Washington State submits...more
9/4/2015
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Blue Cross ,
Cadillac Tax ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Co-Op ,
Comment Period ,
Eligibility ,
Essential Health Benefits ,
Federally Facilitated Exchanges ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
IRS ,
Means Test ,
Medicaid ,
Medicaid Expansion ,
Medicare ,
Payment Systems ,
Premiums ,
Reconciliation ,
SNAP Program ,
Special Assessments ,
State Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Tax Returns
Increased plan choice on HealthCare.gov is linked to lower premium growth; Arizona seeks changes to Medicaid expansion; and California and New York release detailed Marketplace and Medicaid enrollment reports....more
8/5/2015
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Exemptions ,
Health Insurance ,
Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Health Savings Accounts ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Costs ,
Healthcare.gov ,
Medicaid ,
Medicaid Expansion ,
Medicare ,
Open Enrollment ,
Public Health Insurance Marketplace ,
State Health Insurance Exchanges
Montana’s Medicaid expansion waiver seeks monthly premiums and a “third party administrator”; Rhode Island’s Medicaid working group recommends pursuing a DSRIP waiver; and Utah’s Medicaid expansion discussions are put on hold...more
Topping the news, last week's King v. Burwell ruling preserved subsidies for the 6.7 million people receiving them through the federal marketplace.
In other news, President Obama pledged renewed efforts to work with...more
7/1/2015
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Chevron Deference ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Health Insurance ,
Health Insurance Exchanges ,
King v Burwell ,
Medicaid ,
Medicaid Expansion ,
Public Health Insurance Marketplace ,
SCOTUS ,
Standard of Review ,
State Health Insurance Exchanges
With the King v. Burwell ruling expected by the end of the month, Congressional Republicans continue to offer contingency plans in the event of a ruling for the plaintiffs; and the Mississippi Insurance Commissioner proposes...more
6/17/2015
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Health Insurance ,
Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Healthcare.gov ,
Insurance Commissioners ,
King v Burwell ,
Medicaid ,
Mitigation ,
Obama Administration ,
Penalties ,
Pending Legislation ,
Public Health Insurance Marketplace ,
SCOTUS ,
State Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Subsidies