In an important new paper with original findings, Galen Senior Fellow Brian Blase demonstrates that individual health insurance markets in states can be improved by the choice and competition short-term plans provide. Short-term plans had been severely restricted by the Obama administration—limited to a one-time purchase of 90 days with no renewal. That’s hardly insurance. But new … [Read more...] about Individual Health Insurance Markets Improving in States that Fully Permit Short-Term Plans
State Issues
Coalition Supports State Flexibility Rules
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has taken steps to increase states’ ability to reform their individual and small group health insurance markets, and a coalition of health policy experts has provided comments supporting a proposed rule that would codify the agency’s more flexible guidance. Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act permits the secretaries of Health and Human … [Read more...] about Coalition Supports State Flexibility Rules
Incentives and Data Matter: An analysis of the left’s coronavirus relief plan
Galen Senior Fellow Brian Blase concludes in an important new paper that the formula being proposed by leading House Democrats to provide coronavirus relief to states would exacerbate Medicaid’s already-serious problems and provide a huge incentive for states to keep their unemployment rates high. His analysis shows most states would receive $19 in federal money for every $1 they spend through … [Read more...] about Incentives and Data Matter: An analysis of the left’s coronavirus relief plan
How Health Care Premiums Are Declining in States That Seek Relief from Obamacare’s Mandates
Galen Senior Fellow Doug Badger has a new paper out this week, published by The Heritage Foundation, showing how a few states that gained waivers to escape some of Obamacare’s expensive, restrictive mandates are helping to lower health insurance premiums for their residents. In his new paper, “How Health Care Premiums Are Declining in States That Seek Relief from Obamacare’s … [Read more...] about How Health Care Premiums Are Declining in States That Seek Relief from Obamacare’s Mandates
Medicaid and Work: Crisis in Arkansas?
In a new piece for RealClearHealth, Doug Badger and I look at the data regarding work requirement for some Medicaid recipients in Arkansas and find the shrill criticism of the program is not supported by facts. Arkansas is one of seven states that have obtained permission from the Trump administration to establish work requirements in its Medicaid program, and the administration is … [Read more...] about Medicaid and Work: Crisis in Arkansas?
Several States Have Found Ways To Mitigate Obamacare’s Damage To Their Health Insurance Markets
By Grace-Marie Turner & Doug Badger — A few states have found a key to undoing some of Obamacare’s damage to their individual health insurance markets by redirecting some federal funding to help sick people. These states are providing separate assistance to those with the highest health costs, thereby reducing premiums and increasing enrollment for healthy people driven out of the market by … [Read more...] about Several States Have Found Ways To Mitigate Obamacare’s Damage To Their Health Insurance Markets
State Innovation: The Key to Affordable Health Care Coverage Choices
by Doug Badger & Edmund Haislmaier— Obamacare’s rigid and centralized federal regulation of the nongroup market is failing. Premiums have risen, choices have contracted, and enrollment in individual policies continues to fall. Section 1332 of the Obamacare statute provides states with very limited authority to escape Obamacare’s mandates and test new approaches to undoing some of this … [Read more...] about State Innovation: The Key to Affordable Health Care Coverage Choices
Health Reform: Helping the States Help the Poor
Many Catholics, especially Catholic leaders, have been conflicted over bills that have been presented to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act: They strenuously object to the ACA’s affront to religious liberty yet they know it offers access to health insurance for millions, including those who have been left behind in our bifurcated system. Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, … [Read more...] about Health Reform: Helping the States Help the Poor