The Numbers Behind “Young Invincibles” and the Affordable Care Act December 17, 2013 Perspective As enrollment statistics in the new health insurance marketplaces start to become available, there is a growing focus on whether the enrollment of so-called “young invincibles” will be sufficient to keep insurance markets stable. Enrollment of young adults is important, but not as important as conventional wisdom suggests since premiums…
Health Care Access and Coverage for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Community in the United States: Opportunities and Challenges in a New Era February 21, 2014 Perspective This Policy Insight looks at the challenges and questions surrounding recent policy changes that are expected to increase health insurance coverage and access to care for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals and their families, including the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Supreme Court’s DOMA decision.
Obamacare: The Metrics In The News Are Mostly Wrong March 24, 2014 Perspective In this Policy Insights, Kaiser Family Foundation President and CEO Drew Altman explains how the measures of success for year one of Obamacare used in media coverage and national discussion is the equivalent of judging the local weather from national averages.
Those Long Lines To Enroll In The ACA April 8, 2014 Perspective In this Policy Insight, Kaiser Family Foundation President and CEO Drew Altman discusses the need for community based outreach to enroll the long term uninsured.
Medicare Advantage: Take Another Look May 7, 2014 Perspective This Policy Insight explores possible explanations for the continued rise in Medicare Advantage enrollment between 2010 and 2013 in spite of a projected decrease following payment changes in the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
The Potential Side Effects of Halbig July 31, 2014 Perspective The Halbig case, if it prevails, would have far-reaching side effects on the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate and the functioning of the individual insurance market.
Open Enrollment: Insights from Medicare for Health Insurance Marketplaces October 23, 2014 Perspective This Policy Insight draws on the experiences of Medicare beneficiaries during Medicare’s annual enrollment period to consider whether consumers with health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s new marketplaces will shop for a better deal during their open enrollment season.
Medical Debt Among Insured Consumers: The Role of Cost Sharing, Transparency, and Consumer Assistance January 8, 2015 Perspective This policy insight examines medical debt among insured consumers, exploring how high cost sharing in health insurance plans can contribute, and explaining how greater transparency could help consumers avoid some financial pitfalls. It also provides an update on provisions of the Affordable Care Act meant to increase health plan transparency and bolster consumer assistance.
Insurance Markets in a Post-King World February 25, 2015 Perspective This perspective addresses how insurance markets might respond if the US Supreme Court sides with the plaintiffs in the King v. Burwell case. The case challenges the legality of premium and cost-sharing subsidies for low- and middle-income people buying insurance in states where the federal government rather than the state is operating the marketplace under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
How Have Insurers Fared Under the Affordable Care Act? June 1, 2015 Perspective This analysis tracks the financial performance of insurers in the individual market by evaluating trends in the medical loss ratio (MLR) in the pre-ACA landscape from 2010 to 2013 and estimates the MLR for the first full year of Affordable Care Act implementation in 2014. Findings suggest that although performance varied among insurers, insurers overall had roughly comparable financial performance in 2014 as in recent prior years.