The ACA: Experiences in Health Care Coverage and Access

In advance of the third open enrollment period for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, this briefing examined coverage trends, who has gained coverage and who remains uninsured, and why those uninsured individuals have not obtained coverage.

Speakers also discussed insurance marketplace efforts to expand the focus from primarily enrollment to include assisting consumers in choosing the right insurance plans for their needs and ensuring that individuals have access to care when then need it.

Questions submitted and not addressed: Audience members submitted many questions that panelists did not have time to address.  Some panelists responded to some of those questions in writing later.  Those responses appear here.

• Tim Jost, emeritus professor, Washington and Lee University School of Law
  Even after the King v. Burwell decision, many ACA lawsuits are still pending, said Tim Jost. For example, he noted, the House of Representatives is challenging the administration’s delay of the employer mandate and its provision of cost sharing reduction payments without an explicit appropriation.
• Peter Lee, executive director, Covered California
  Section 1332 Innovation Waivers will begin in 2017 and will allow states to try out new ways to formulate their own vision of health care reform, Peter Lee stated. They could result in narrow state changes to fix the family glitch or broad program adjustments to integrate Medicaid.
• Brian Webb, manager of health policy and legislation, National Association of Insurance Commissioners
  All rates, both inside and outside of marketplaces, had to be filed by May 15th. However, since reinsurance and risk adjustment data became available in June 2015, some states are allowing companies to make adjustments to their 2016 rate submission, Brian Webb said. Original submissions were based on assumptions and predictions.
• Kevin Lucia, senior research fellow, Center on Health Insurance Reforms, Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
  The incentive for states to maintain state-based marketplaces after the King v. Burwell decision depends on their vision and desire for control, Kevin Lucia stated. States with their own marketplaces will have an easier time with Medicaid integration.

Ed Howard of the Alliance and Sara Collins of The Commonwealth Fund moderated.

Contact: Marilyn Serafini mserafini@allhealth.org (202)789-2300

Follow the briefing on Twitter: #ACAcoverage

Transcript

Full Transcript (Adobe Acrobat PDF)

Speaker Presentations

Sara Collins Presentation (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
Timothy Jost Presentation (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
Brian Webb Presentation (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
Kevin Lucia Presentation (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
Peter Lee Presentation (Adobe Acrobat PDF)

Event Details

Agenda (Adobe Acrobat PDF)
Speaker Biographies (Adobe Acrobat PDF)