AHA recommends HHS action to stabilize Health Insurance Marketplaces
The AHA today urged Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell to take swift action to stabilize the Health Insurance Marketplaces and encourage robust consumer and insurer participation. Specifically, AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack urged the administration to further strengthen the special enrollment periods by implementing pre-approval processes; propose and finalize certain changes to the risk-adjustment program; and explicitly require qualified health plans to accept third-party premium and cost-sharing payments from hospitals, hospital-affiliated foundations and other charitable organizations to increase access to coverage for individuals not eligible for Medicare or Medicaid. In addition, AHA urged the agency to dedicate more resources to outreach and enrollment, and work with states to improve the stability of their marketplaces and ensure fair rate adjustments.