Tag: ACA
Health Policy News – April 2019
Introduction In this month’s edition of Health Policy News, we delve into two of last month’s breaking Federal litigation updates: the decisions issued in cases regarding the Association Health Plan Final Rule and the use and operationalization of Medicaid work requirements. As both decisions reverse course on recent health policy developments, we analyze their likely ...
Court Ruling Invalidates Major Provisions of the New Association Health Plan Regulations
On March 28, 2019, Judge John D. Bates of the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia issued a ruling invalidating major provisions of last summer’s final rule on Association Health Plans (AHPs). The regulations—which were released by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on June 19, 2018—established additional and more flexible criteria under ...
Health Policy News – March 2019
Introduction With the first quarter of the new year coming to a close, we are taking this opportunity to do a national review of major state health policy activity in 2019. Nineteen new governors were sworn into office in January, and many of them assumed office with health care at the top of their agendas. ...
Newly-Elected Governors Set Their Sights on Healthcare Reforms
The new year brought changes to state leadership across the nation, with 19 governors newly entering the corner office—seven of whom took over from an administration on the other end of the political spectrum. This refresh has brought a surge of new ideas and energy in the realm of state health policy. Below, we highlight …
Health Policy News December Edition
Introduction As in years past, the primary focus of the December edition is highlighting some of the important topics we wrote about in 2018, while also foreshadowing policy trends that we believe will be of particular importance to states in 2019. Before many of you take a break to spend time with family and friends, ...
A Look at Two States’ Responses to the Association Health Plan Final Rule
Implementation of the new Federal Association Health Plan (AHP) Rule—and new options for associations seeking to offer health insurance coverage—is well underway. The new rule became effective for all fully-insured AHPs seeking to operate under the new rule in September, and will go into effect for existing self-insured AHPs seeking to operate under the new ...
Two Insurance Markets, Similar Stories to Tell
Massachusetts and New Hampshire held public meetings this past fall aimed at providing insights into the factors affecting health care costs in their respective states. The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission (HPC) held its sixth annual Cost Trend Hearing on October 16th and 17th. The New Hampshire Health Insurance Department (NHID) held its annual hearing at ...
A Preliminary Decision in the Newest Lawsuit Challenging the Affordable Care Act
On December 14th, a decision was published in the Texas v. U.S. case that challenged the validity of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The case – which was brought by 20 states (“plaintiff states”) and later joined by two individual plaintiffs – contends that the “zeroing out” of the shared responsibility penalty through the 2017 ...
Health Policy News September Edition
With late-breaking summer developments at the federal level on Association Health Plans (AHPs) and Short Term Limited Duration Insurance (STLDI), and additional guidance rolling out at the state level, it was a busy end of summer for states and health policy SMEs alike. To assist states, this edition includes an overview of recent state activity ...
States Respond to Recent Federal Regulations
States across the country have spent the past few months reviewing and considering two significant rules promulgated at the Federal level over the summer: the final rule on Association Health Plans (AHPs) issued by the Department of Labor in June, and the final rule on Short Term Limited Duration Insurance (STLDI) issued by the Departments ...