In this edition of Health Policy News, we continue our series of updates on state innovation in health policy. In follow-up to last year’s series on 1332 State Innovation Waivers, this year we have focused on other ideas and efforts percolating across the country and aimed at strengthening health insurance markets and expanding access to health care. On that theme, this edition highlights various approaches underway in states to exempt health plans from ACA requirements.
As we head into the summer, we provide a brief update on State and Federal efforts underway to contain prescription drug costs, including the recent passage of Vermont’s landmark drug importation legislation.
Finally, we share highlights from the recent Workers Compensation Research Institute’s Annual Issues & Research Conference in Boston. This conference included discussion about the future of the workforce and the movement of workers’ compensation insurance to value-based care. Our subject matter experts summarized the key highlights of the event to share with our readers.
Keep an eye out for our special summer edition that will feature a report on public health insurance options (most notably public program buy-ins), and other innovative ideas under consideration at the State level.
As always, you can contact us at healthpolicynews@pcgus.com for more information on any of these pieces.
States Pursue Unique Approaches to Permit Non-Compliant Health Plans
Ideas and opportunities aimed at strengthening insurance markets and expanding access to health care are percolating across the country. As we continue to cover models under consideration at the State level, this month’s focus is on the proposals coming out of states seeking to exempt health insurance plans from ACA requirements. We recap recent efforts coming out of Idaho and Iowa and the response from the Federal government. We also explore alternative approaches to this issue. Click here to read more.
Movement on drug cost containment at both the state and federal level
Health Policy News has devoted significant attention to State and Federal efforts to contain drug costs. This past month, there has been movement on many of the issues we have been tracking including the 340B drug program, state drug importation legislation and a new drug cost containment proposal released by the White House. Click here to read more.
Looking to the Future of Workers’ Compensation
Several members of the PCG Health team recently attended the Workers Compensation Research Institute’s Annual Issues & Research Conference in Boston. The conference convenes researchers, regulators, and other workers’ compensation professionals from around the country to discuss trends they are seeing within the industry.
Highlights from this year’s conference included discussion about the future of the workforce and the movement of workers’ compensation insurance to value-based care. Dr. Erica Groshen, former Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, opened the conference by addressing the current state of the labor market, recent evolutions, and the importance of official statistics. Also at the conference, Dr. Randall Lea presented findings from a recent, not yet published study that explored provider, payor, and regulator readiness to use value-based care delivery and payment models in workers’ compensation. Click here to read more.
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