Across the Country in ACA World - Sept No. 4

1. Tomorrow, Sept. 26  The Census Bureau releases 2018 American Community Survey stats on health insurance coverage, economic and housing characteristics, language, educational attainment, commute to work, employment, mortgage status and rent, and income for places with populations of 65,000 or more.
      
2. Ending cost sharing reimbursements actually increased ACA enrollment, says a new study in Health Affairs.  The federal government’s decision to end CSR payments seems to have increased marketplace enrollment by about 5 percent and contributed to a healthier marketplace risk pool, because of “silver loading.”  Restoring CSR payments would likely reverse these effects. Health Affairs explains it well.
   
   
3. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Texas v. US is due any time.  The case on whether the ACA is constitutional was argued July 9.  According to the Washington Post, the court says judges try to decide cases within two months after they are argued. Kaiser explains the lawsuit.   
   
   
4. Access Health CT’s Healthy Chat sessions start October 1.  Nine sessions are scheduled so far.  The AHCT Community Conference takes place October 16 in Cromwell.  For coverage of the Sept board meeting, see Access Health Gets Ready for Open Enrollment.
   
   
5. Maryland is busy.  
   • The Maryland Health Benefit Exchange released its Affordability Work Group Report.  The MD Exchange established an Affordability Work Group to recommend ways to reduce out of pocket costs; maximize APTCs for subsidized consumers; and maximize affordability for unsubsidized consumers.  The group got data and ideas from Covered California, Families USA, and Rhode Island. The MD Health Care Commission broke out data on chronic disease (a big driver of cost) in on- and off- exchange enrollees in the individual market.  Recommendations start at page 9 of the report.
   • MD’s Easy Enrollment Health Insurance Program lets people check a box on their state tax returns to jump-start health insurance enrollment. Maryland’s exchange will get eligibility info sent electronically from the tax return.  People who qualify for Medicaid will be enrolled automatically, and the exchange will help people who qualify for private coverage enroll a plan. This program, which has broad bipartisan support, is the first of its kind in the US.
   • MD’s QHP insurance rates will fall by 10.3% for 2020. This is the second year in a row that premium rates for every individual health plan sold on MD’s exchange have fallen.​
   • The exchange published an excellent blog post explaining the impact of the public charge rule  and provided contact info for 17 organizations that help with immigration services.
     
     
6. Washington’s QHP rates will see a record-low average rate decrease of 3.27%, although out-of-pocket costs continue to go up.  Washington is also expanding premium tax credits to people earning up to 500% FPL, as part of its public option legislation.
   
   
7. Vermont’s QHP rates will increase by double digits.  
   
   
8. Colorado is now getting feedback and developing recommendations for a public option. Providers, insurers, consumer advocates and others have weighed in on the feasibility, scope, and design. The final policy proposal will be submitted to the state legislature by mid-November. Presentations and feedback here.
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9. The Colorado Health Institute releases the Colorado Health Access Survey results today.  The survey’s been conducted every two years since 2009.