Health insurance exchanges

Budget reconciliation sought for ACA repeal

After more than 50 votes in Congress and two attempts before the U.S. Supreme Court to mothball the ACA and public exchange marketplace, some Republicans now see the budget reconciliation process as yet another avenue for achieving this long-time goal.

Bruce Shutan
By Bruce Shutan
Contributing writer

Preferred partners: A narrow-network antidote

Narrow-network restrictions help health insurance carriers participating in public exchanges limit their exposure to adverse selection and better manage the cost of patient care, but they’re also an annoyance for health care exchange enrollees who want unencumbered access to doctors and hospitals.

Bruce Shutan
By Bruce Shutan
Contributing writer

Texas public exchange ID cards spark debate

Doctors think insurance cards in Texas that identify HIX enrollees could serve as a reminder to pay their monthly premiums and reduce the number of unpaid bills. Critics, however, counter that they are akin to a Scarlet letter and could be used to deny treatment.

Bruce Shutan
By Bruce Shutan
Contributing writer

More accurate HIX provider directories sought

It turns out that two of the most common consumer complaints about HIX plans mirror longstanding gripes about traditional health insurance, but there’s a movement afoot to ensure provider network directories are accurate and help patients better calculate and budget for out-of-pocket costs in the nascent online marketplace.

Bruce Shutan
By Bruce Shutan
Contributing writer

Benefits Think 6 critical steps for employers in wake of ACA decision

Today, in a 6-3 decision written by Chief Justice Roberts, the Supreme Court ruled in King v. Burwell that subsidies used to purchase health insurance in the 36 states on the federally facilitated marketplace are legal, thus avoiding the “death spiral” so often referred to by Congress. What does this ruling mean for employers?

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