On March 1, the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Treasury approved New York’s section 1332 waiver that expands affordable coverage to additional groups of New Yorkers. The waiver essentially suspends New...more
The Biden administration gave its stamp of approval last week to Colorado’s novel waiver under Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to require premium reductions in a public option program, a first-of-its-kind plan...more
The courts continue to play an important role in health policy. 2020 saw several notable lawsuits related to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Several other Trump administration policies were challenged, including Medicare...more
In a new “Expert Perspective” prepared for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s State Health and Value Strategies program, Manatt Health provides a midyear update on the public option at the federal and state levels. ...more
This week in Washington: Senate stays in session this week as negotiations on the COVID-19 package continue, but is not expecting votes; House remains in district work period....more
On November 4, Georgia released two draft waiver applications for public comment—a Section 1332 State Relief and Empowerment Waiver (“1332 waiver”) to restructure the state’s individual insurance market and a Section 1115...more
Editor’s Note: While Democratic victories in the U.S. House have fueled national conversations about some variant of Medicare for all, most of the policy change in the near term is likely to continue to be at the state level....more
With a divided Congress that will struggle to reach agreement about major health policy legislation, states will continue to serve as the drivers and testing ground for new healthcare reforms in at least the next two years....more
Following up on a Federal Register notice published October 24, 2018, CMS announced additional information relating to State Relief and Empowerment Waivers, also known as “Section 1332 Waivers” on November 29, 2018 (the...more
As we previously discussed, in October the Trump Administration issued guidance related to 1332 waivers. This guidance outlines how the Trump Administration interprets the ACA 1332 waiver guardrails. On November 29th, CMS...more
Welcome back. This week, Congress returns to Washington with 10 working days to prevent a partial government shutdown by December 7th. Reaching an agreement on funding is the highest priority of the Lame Duck, and it could...more
As previously discussed by our colleagues at ML Strategies, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) and the Department of Treasury (“Treasury”) released new guidelines (the “Guidance”) on the application and...more
On Monday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Treasury released guidance relaxing a range of requirements for state waivers submitted under Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)....more
At the end of July, CMS approved two Section 1332 State Innovation Waivers submitted by Wisconsin and Maine for the purpose of establishing state reinsurance programs. There has been a flurry of 1332 waiver activity recently...more
States are increasingly looking for ways to improve stability in their individual insurance marketplaces. One way is through reinsurance programs – systems in which multiple insurance companies share risk by purchasing...more
Welcome back. This is the first of three weeks when the Senate is in session while the House is out on its five-week summer recess. It is highly unusual for one chamber to be here with the other is on recess for that long....more
Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a powerful policy tool for states in the Trump era. The provision authorizes states to waive certain ACA provisions and receive federal funding for state programs, provided...more
During the open enrollment period for the 2018 plan year, approximately 11.8 million people enrolled in Marketplace coverage and 74 million people enrolled in Medicaid, leading to an uninsured rate in the U.S. of 12.2...more
During the open enrollment period for the 2018 plan year, approximately 11.8 million people enrolled in marketplace coverage and 74 million people enrolled in Medicaid, bringing the United States’ uninsured rate to 12.2¹....more
Connecting Justice-Involved Populations to Health Coverage and Care - Editor’s Note: The importance of connecting justice-involved populations to health coverage and care is evident from the high levels of physical and...more
With Congress failing to reach agreement on a stabilization package for the individual market and repeal of the individual mandate set to take effect for 2019, states are considering different strategies, some that will...more
We recently wrote about Idaho’s failed attempt to permit health insurers to sell policies that did not comply with Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements for the individual insurance market. ...more
On March 30, 2018, the Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI) submitted the application for a waiver from the requirements of the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate. If approved, Ohio would become the first state to receive...more
In early January, Idaho Governor Butch Otter signed an executive order (EO) directing the state’s Department of Insurance (DOI) to “seek creative options” to expand “access” to health insurance coverage for Idahoans. The EO...more
The Affordable Care Act was designed in part to help bring stability to the individual health insurance market. But faced with a fluid federal regulatory environment, many states continue to encounter challenges, including...more