Peering Into the Black Box of Insurance Rating June 7, 2011 Perspective Recently, the New York Times reported that private health insurers continue to seek large premium increases despite seeing lower than expected use of medical care and booking record profits. The story highlights a significant problem for health policy: the lack of good, public information about how health insurers manage health…
Who Will be the H&R Block and TurboTax for Health Insurance? June 3, 2011 Perspective There’s been quite a bit of focus lately insofar as these issues go, anyway on health insurance agents and brokers (sometimes known in the industry as “producers”). They are pushing legislation that has been introduced in Congress and is now being studied by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners that…
Health Reform Hits Main Street September 23, 2010 Video This short cartoon explains the problems with the current health care system, the health reform changes that are happening now, and the big changes coming in 2014 as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). You can view the video on our site and it is also available on YouTube.
Statement of Gary Claxton to NAIC Exchanges (B) Subgroup July 22, 2010 Event Kaiser Family Foundation Vice President Gary Claxton, who directs the Foundation’s Marketplace Policy Project, testified July 22, 2010, at a public hearing before the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ Exchanges (B) Subgroup established by the health reform law. Testimony (.pdf)
The COBRA Subsidy and Health Insurance for the Unemployed April 16, 2010 Issue Brief With the nation’s unemployment rate rising to its highest levels in decades as a result of the recession, many families have lost their employer-sponsored health coverage or are at risk of doing so. In an effort to help people maintain coverage after a layoff, the stimulus legislation known as the…
Explaining Health Care Reform: Questions About Health Insurance Exchanges April 1, 2010 Issue Brief The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), signed into law in March 2010, made broad changes to the way health insurance will be provided and paid for in the United States. PPACA created a new mechanism for purchasing coverage called Exchanges, which are entities that will be set up…
Better Care & Lower Costs: Exploring the Promise of Patient Engagement February 27, 2010 Event 03/05/10 Engaging consumers more directly in their care may improve health outcomes and help control the costs of care. This briefing, cosponsored by the Alliance for Health Reform and the AARP Public Policy Institute, focused on the potential for changing consumer behavior to promote the use of effective interventions and…
Issues for Structuring Interim High-Risk Pools December 30, 2009 Issue Brief One of the first provisions that would be implemented under federal health reform bills in the House and the Senate would establish a national high-risk pool program to offer coverage to otherwise uninsurable individuals during the interim period between enactment and implementation of broader health care reforms. High-risk pools provide…
In Pursuit of Affordable Health Care: On the Ground Lessons From Families in Massachusetts August 30, 2009 Report This report, based on focus groups with adults in a variety of circumstances, highlights the experiences of Massachusetts residents in obtaining health coverage, accessing health care services and managing out-of-pocket costs in the wake of the state’s 2006 health reform law. Report (.pdf)
Consumers’ Experience in Massachusetts: Lessons For National Health Reform August 30, 2009 Report This report examines the impact of state health reform efforts on the lives of ordinary people in Massachusetts, including a look at coverage provided by both public programs and private sources. It focuses specifically on people’s ability to afford and obtain needed care. Report (.pdf)