CBO says the House repeal and replace bill could destabilize the individual insurance market in some states; Indiana posts a work requirement amendment to its Medicaid expansion waiver application; and states allow insurers...more
Governors pen bipartisan letter to Congress urging five-year extension of funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP); new analyses find Medicaid funding cuts under the AHCA would disproportionately affect...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
HealthCare.gov enrollment is down, while State-based Marketplace enrollment is up at the end of 2017 open enrollment; Hawaii, Massachusetts and Oregon introduce legislation to codify ACA reforms in state law in case of...more
Last week, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a report analyzing CMS’ readiness to implement major parts of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of...more
The National Association of Medicaid Directors offers policy considerations and recommendations to the incoming Administration; HealthCare.gov has its largest single day of enrollment ever; and new publications prepared by...more
In a special “Manatt on Health Reform” feature, we track Governors’ and state healthcare officials’ reactions to the Presidential election; HHS plans investigations into rising drug costs; and Colorado voters reject a...more
HealthCare.gov consumers begin previewing 2017 coverage options as HHS projects a 9% enrollment increase over last year and an average 22% benchmark premium increase; Oregon study finds increased primary care spending in...more
Vermont moves closer to launching the country’s first all-payer ACO; CMS approves Arizona’s 1115 waiver extension but rejects the State’s proposed work requirement and premiums for those earning below the FPL; and CMS issues...more
The President voices support for a public option; Vermont selects a Medicaid ACO; and Alabama ends enhanced primary care reimbursements....more
Rhode Island's Medicaid reforms will save the State $75 million this year; HHS finds that Medicaid expansion improves behavioral healthcare; and California's Marketplace may exclude poor performing hospitals from its QHP...more
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
This is the annual hodge-podge of changes to the risk adjustment, reinsurance, and risk corridors programs, cost sharing parameters, cost-sharing reductions, and Healthcare.gov user fees, usually filling hundreds of Federal...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
HHS announces average premium price increases of 7.5% across HealthCare.gov; Michigan and Illinois launch the country’s first joint cloud-based, real-time Medicaid information management system; and the Marketplace carrier...more
On September 18, 2015, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a set of “Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Federally-Facilitated Marketplace’s (FFM) 2016 Employer Notice Program.”...more
Here’s the coming dilemma: let IRS assess employer mandate taxes based on errant Healthcare.gov subsidy certifications or appeal those errors to prevent those assessments. “Where’s the dilemma?” you say. Here: once you...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
In quick succession, governors in Alaska and Utah announce Medicaid expansions this week; Iowa is transitioning its expansion away from the Marketplace to Medicaid managed care, for now; and, HHS extends its exception to...more
As of December 26, 2014, HHS reported that 6.5 million consumers have obtained health insurance coverage from HealthCare.gov, bringing the total number of enrollees in federal and state exchanges to over 7 million. Of the...more
In This Issue: - HealthCare.gov Hacking Breach - Implementation of the Affordable Care Act - Other Federal Regulatory Initiatives - Other Congressional and State Initiatives - Other Health...more
In a high-stake but relatively uneventful series of negotiations, the House and Senate passed a continuing resolution to fund the government through September, averting another government shutdown. Also over the past week,...more
In This Issue: Implementation of the Affordable Care Act; Other HHS and Federal Regulatory Initiatives; Other Congressional and State Initiatives; and Hearings and Mark-Ups Scheduled. Excerpt from...more
In This Issue: Implementation of the Affordable Care Act; Other HHS and Federal Regulatory Initiatives; Other Congressional and State Initiatives; Other Health Care News; and Hearings and Mark-Ups Scheduled. ...more
In This Issue: - Top News ..Deal to Raise Debt Ceiling, End Shutdown Yields No Major Changes to Health Care Law ..Problems with HealthCare.gov Website Continue; HHS Working to Fix Issues ..Kaiser Study...more