Preparing Employers and Employees for 2021 Benefit Plans Decisions
On January 28, 2021, President Biden signed the “Executive Order on Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act” which, among other things, ordered a special enrollment period (SEP) for the federal Health Insurance...more
The fifth Open Enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) started on November 1st, and will continue for a scant 45 days ending on December 15, 2017. This year, not only has the Open Enrollment been cut in half,...more
With open enrollment in full swing for many employers, now is a good time to review employee benefit communications. Plan sponsors of health plans are generally responsible for properly administering all of the health plan...more
We learn early on that for any action there is a reaction. On Friday, the Department of Health and Human Services released “Market Stabilization” final regulations that will impact group health plans as they plan for 2018....more
On Thursday, April 13, the Department of Health and Human Services finalized a long-awaited regulation intended to stabilize the Affordable Care Act (ACA) individual health insurance marketplace. The final rule tracks closely...more
On February 17, 2017, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a proposed rule aimed at reforming and stabilizing the individual and small group health insurance markets. When (or if) finalized, the...more
HealthCare.gov plans an open enrollment pilot that will let consumers compare provider network breadth; new Medicaid enrollees reduce out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs by nearly 60%; and Kansas’s Governor announces...more
California's Marketplace revises its QHP contract to improve care quality and value, and announces its support for a 1332 waiver to allow undocumented immigrants to purchase Marketplace plans; Wisconsin proposes transitioning...more
As background, before 2014, an employee’s election to enroll in his or her employer’s health plan pursuant to a cafeteria plan was irrevocable for the entire plan year, unless the employee incurred an event that affected his...more
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
Iowa's largest insurer joins the State's Marketplace for coverage year 2017; carrier changes are announced for Marketplaces in Kentucky, Oklahoma and Wyoming; and South Dakota's Governor convenes the Health Care Solutions...more
Reductions in uninsured rates are greatest in states with Medicaid expansions and State-based or State Partnership Marketplaces; Kentucky finds increased use of preventive healthcare following Medicaid expansion; and,...more
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
Welcome to the first publication of the “Manatt on Health Reform: Weekly Highlights” newsletter. Many of you are familiar with the healthcare reform tracking efforts and weekly newsletters we produced for the KidsWell...more
Last week, HHS’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation published a Report offering health plan enrollment data for the state-based insurance marketplaces authorized by the Affordable Care Act...more