HELP Committee Holds Hearing on Individual Health Insurance Market

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee recently held the first hearing of several about ways to stabilize premiums and help individuals in the individual insurance market. The Committee heard from five different state insurance commissioners regarding their experiences with the individual insurance marketplaces under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Most of the testimony focused on the need to fund cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments, increase flexibility under the ACA’s section 1332 waiver program and establish a federal reinsurance program. There was bipartisan interest in stabilizing the individual market. Chairman Lamar Alexander reported that there are eighteen million people with coverage through the individual market. He noted that thirty-one Senators not on the HELP Committee attended a morning coffee with today’s witnesses and applauded the wide interest in stabilizing the individual market. He said there has been a “partisan stalemate for seven years” and that action needs to be taken sooner rather than later, with final rate determinations due September 20th and Qualified Health Plan contracts for 2018 due September 27th. He also warned that insurer exits could occur prior to the contract finalization deadline and that half of counties nationwide have only one insurer participating on the Exchange. Ranking Member Patty Murray was slightly more political, stating the Administration is “trying to create Trumpcare by ...
Source: Policy and Medicine - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs