Across the Country in ACA World - Aug No. 1

1. The Office of Health Strategy is moving forward with its  Health Enhancement Communities pilot – a webinar for RFPs will be held on Wed at 1pm.  OHS is pitching this concept to funders. This 90-day pilot project will encompass 10 specific communities. 
2.  Rhode Island presented on a good cross-agency SDOH initiative at NASHP.  
3. The CT Department of Insurance has a  hearing scheduled for Sept 4 on rate proposals for Anthem and Connecticare plans offered through Access Health.
4. Some states are starting to see rates go down. California’s individual market will see a preliminary rate change of 0.8 percent in 2020, which is the lowest change since Covered California’s launch, due to new state affordability initiatives designed to lower costs and encourage enrollment.  Colorado is expecting significant rate decreases (18-30%) due to its new reinsurance program.
5. CMS issued a State Health Official letter that provided guidance on several legislative changes to the modified adjusted gross income (MAGI)-based methodologies used for determining Medicaid and CHIP eligibility.
6. CMS is rolling out Nationwide Marketplace Quality Ratings - CMS announced that the Marketplaces in all states will, for the first time, display quality rating data for most qualified health plans (QHPs).
7. There’s a State-Based Marketplace Call on health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) on  August 28, 1:00, organized by State Health and Value Strategies program at Princeton.  Here’s a good overview of the implications of the new HRA rules and why ACA proponents are concerned.
8. UConn Health Disparities Institute is working on their Health Insurance Literacy Academy video series, which the CT Health Foundation is funding in part.
9. CT offers limited protections if ACA is tossed – Good CT Mirror article explains that a majority of Connecticut residents are covered by health insurance policies that won't be affected by state safeguards if the ACA is abolished.
10. Health Insurance Market and Policy Briefing – Harvard Pilgrim video with guest speaker policy expert from Nov 2018.  This is a long but very good (and still timely) overview of the industry, ACA, employer sponsored insurance, brokers, Medicare for all,  and political climate as it pertains to health insurance.