On this version
- DC alternate presents SEP for residents who weren’t conscious of DC’s particular person mandate
- Virginia lawmakers approve payments to restrict short-term well being plans
- Virginia strikes a step nearer towards a state-run alternate
- Nebraska Medicaid enlargement on monitor for Oct. 1 begin date
- Georgia’s reinsurance proposal more likely to be permitted in time for spring fee filings
- Wyoming Medicaid enlargement invoice dies in committee
- Arizona GOP introduces laws to guard residents with pre-existing situations, in case Arizona is profitable in its efforts to overturn the ACA
- Bipartisan Medicaid enlargement laws launched in Tennessee
- Utah pays state workers for journey to Mexico to fill prescriptions
Welcome to this week’s round-up of state-level well being reform information, together with:
DC alternate presents SEP for residents not conscious of DC’s particular person mandate
Open enrollment for self-purchased medical health insurance has ended nationwide. (It begins once more in November, for protection efficient in 2022). However in the event you’re in Washington, DC and you discover out in regards to the District’s particular person mandate if you file your 2022 tax return – since you owe a penalty for being uninsured final 12 months – DC Well being Hyperlink is granting a one-time 60-day particular enrollment interval that can enable you to enroll in 2022 protection and keep away from having to pay one other penalty in your tax return subsequent 12 months.
Virginia lawmakers approve payments to restrict short-term well being plans
Final month, we advised you about laws into account in Virginia to sharply restrict short-term well being plans. Each chambers have now handed their respective laws, bringing Virginia one step nearer to being among the many states with strict limits on short-term plans.
Virginia strikes a step nearer towards a state-run alternate
Virginia’s Senate has additionally handed bipartisan laws that requires the state to create a state-run medical health insurance alternate that will be operational by 2023. There are 13 absolutely state-run exchanges as of 2022, however Virginia is one in every of a number of states contemplating the potential for transitioning away from HealthCare.gov within the coming years and establishing a state-run alternate platform as an alternative.
Nebraska Medicaid enlargement on monitor for Oct. 1 begin date
Nebraska voters permitted Medicaid enlargement over a 12 months in the past. The state is slowly making its method in direction of implementation of the poll initiative, nevertheless it’s not scheduled to take impact till October. (Voters in Utah and Idaho permitted related poll initiatives on the identical time, and Medicaid enlargement has already taken impact in each states.)
Nebraska’s Division of Well being and Human Companies has indicated that the state is on monitor to satisfy the long-planned October 1 begin date for Medicaid enlargement. However laws has additionally been launched to codify that date as a tough deadline for the expanded eligibility guidelines to take impact.
Georgia’s reinsurance proposal more likely to be permitted in time for spring fee filings
Final fall, Georgia unveiled 1332 and 1115 waivers designed to make radical adjustments to its medical health insurance market and Medicaid program. However whereas some points of the state’s proposal are controversial, one provision – reinsurance – will not be. A dozen states have already carried out reinsurance packages, which carry down pre-subsidy premiums throughout the person insurance coverage market, making protection extra reasonably priced for individuals who don’t get subsidies. (It may well have the other impact for individuals who do get subsidies, relying in the marketplace dynamics within the space.)
Gov. Brian Kemp requested CMS to judge the reinsurance proposal individually and expeditiously, in hopes that it may be in place as of 2022 (and permitted by the point insurers are creating their charges for 2022, which can occur this spring). Final week, CMS notified Kemp that the federal authorities has paused its consideration of the remainder of Georgia’s proposal with a purpose to concentrate on the reinsurance proposal. So whereas different points of Georgia’s proposal could or might not be permitted, and will undergo a prolonged overview course of, a choice on the state’s reinsurance proposal could be anticipated within the pretty close to future — and it’s more likely to be permitted, given the widespread approval of reinsurance packages in different states.
Wyoming Medicaid enlargement invoice dies in committee
Medicaid enlargement laws was filed in Wyoming final month, after receiving approval from a legislative committee final fall. However regardless of robust help from the state’s medical suppliers and medical college students on the College of Wyoming, the laws died in committee this week, on the primary day of the legislative session.
The invoice wouldn’t have referred to as for Medicaid enlargement precisely because it’s outlined below the ACA, however would have given the governor the authority to work with CMS to “discover choices” for increasing protection. Lawmakers within the state have lengthy stated that they need a Wyoming-specific resolution, and the invoice that died on Monday would have given the governor leeway to craft Medicaid enlargement in a state-specific method.
One other enlargement invoice would possibly nonetheless be launched this week, nevertheless, so Wyoming continues to be a state to look at for Medicaid enlargement laws within the 2022 session.
Arizona GOP introduces laws to guard residents with pre-existing situations if state is profitable in its efforts to overturn the ACA
Because the Texas v. Azar lawsuit winds its method by the courtroom system, Arizona is the newest plaintiff state scrambling to attempt to craft an answer for state residents, in case the lawsuit the state is backing is profitable. (Sure, the irony is powerful.) GOP lawmakers in Arizona have launched laws ostensibly designed to guard individuals with pre-existing situations – and at first look, it would seem to try this. The invoice would prohibit individual-market insurers from rejecting candidates based mostly on their medical historical past or imposing pre-existing situation exclusions, each of which had been frequent practices previous to the ACA.
However that’s all of the invoice would do. It will not stop insurers from basing premiums on candidates’ medical historical past, nor would it not lock in any of the ACA’s different client protections. Democrats in Arizona have launched a stronger model of laws to guard state residents from the potential for the ACA being overturned, however the elephant within the room is the lack of federal funding that will outcome if the ACA is finally dominated unconstitutional. With out federal funding for premium subsidies and Medicaid enlargement, it’s most unlikely that states might keep something even near the present stage of well being care protection and affordability.
Bipartisan Medicaid enlargement laws launched in Tennessee
Tennessee has not but expanded Medicaid, though the state is searching for federal approval for a Medicaid work requirement and block grant funding. However payments have been launched – with bipartisan help – that will get the ball rolling on Medicaid enlargement in Tennessee. The laws – launched in each the Home and Senate – requires the state to submit a waiver proposal to CMS with a purpose to develop Medicaid as referred to as for within the state’s beforehand thought of Insure Tennessee proposal. However they make clear that the state would additionally proceed to hunt federal approval for the work requirement and block grant funding.
Utah pays state workers for journey to Mexico to fill prescriptions
This fascinating story by the Salt Lake Tribune’s Erin Alberty is a must-read. Utah authorities workers who take one in every of 13 high-cost specialty medicine are given the choice of touring to Mexico – or Canada – with a purpose to get hold of their medicine at a a lot decrease price. The state pays all of their journey bills and provides them an additional $500 in the event that they select to get their drugs exterior the U.S. To this point, ten workers have taken Utah up on the provide, saving the state worker well being plan $225,000.
