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About Louise Norris

Louise Norris has been writing about health insurance and healthcare reform since 2006. In addition to the Colorado Health Insurance Insider, she also writes for healthinsurance.org, medicareresources.org, Verywell, Spark by ADP, and Boost by ADP, and Gusto. Follow on twitter and facebook.

New Benefits in Colorado for 2017 – Bariatric Surgery, Infertility, Chiro?

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Open enrollment is just around the corner, and you may have started receiving information from your health insurer regarding changes to your premium and coverage for 2017. I maintain a detailed overview of Colorado’s exchange at healthinsurance.org, so if you have questions, you might find answers there. But after receiving our own family’s renewal packet… Read more about New Benefits in Colorado for 2017 – Bariatric Surgery, Infertility, Chiro?

Pre-Election Health Wonk Musings

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Joe Paduda hosted last week’s Health Wonk Review at Managed Care Matters. It’s a great edition, with excellent articles from several of our favorite health wonks. I highly recommend Brad Wright’s article, detailing how the ACA has expanded coverage. My own article in this edition explains why so many health insurance carriers are leaving the exchanges at the… Read more about Pre-Election Health Wonk Musings

The “We’re Ten!” Edition of the Health Wonk Review

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Welcome to the Health Wonk Review! The ten-year anniversary of our first blog post here at the Colorado Health Insurance Insider was earlier this month. I didn’t notice it at the time, but as I read through the entries for this edition of the Health Wonk Review, I was struck by how many changes we’ve witnessed… Read more about The “We’re Ten!” Edition of the Health Wonk Review

Pregnancy and Special Enrollment Periods

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EDIT, September 2023: As a result of legislation that was enacted in 2022, Colorado will consider pregnancy to be a qualifying event starting in 2024. This will allow a pregnant woman an opportunity to enroll in health coverage without having to wait until the baby is born. Several other states that run their own exchanges… Read more about Pregnancy and Special Enrollment Periods

Prescription Drug Coverage: Terms and Concepts You Need to Know

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What is a drug formulary? How do prescription tiers work? If you’re shopping for health insurance and take prescription drugs, you likely have questions about the prescription coverage offered by the various plans. The good news is that all of the plans available today have to cover your pre-existing conditions. They can’t deny your application… Read more about Prescription Drug Coverage: Terms and Concepts You Need to Know

HR 5447 – Should employers be allowed to reimburse individual health insurance premiums?

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HR 5447 is the Small Business Health Care Relief Act of 2016. It passed the House earlier this month, and is with the Senate now. This bill would allow employers to contribute to their employees’ individual health insurance premiums, up to a maximum of $5,130 for a single employee, or $10,260 if the reimbursement also includes… Read more about HR 5447 – Should employers be allowed to reimburse individual health insurance premiums?

Health Talk at Health Affairs

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At Health Affairs Blog, Chris Fleming hosted the Health Wonk Review this week, and it’s an excellent edition. Be sure to check it out if you’re looking for some weekend reading. Here are some of my favorites this time around: Joe Paduda’s summary of Hillary Clinton’s plans to enhance healthcare reform. Anthony Wright’s explanation of California’s… Read more about Health Talk at Health Affairs

2017 Rate Increases for Colorado Individual Health Insurance Market

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EDIT, 9/25/2016: Rates were approved recently by the Colorado Division of Insurance. The following average rate changes (actual changes will vary by plan) will take effect January 1, 2017 for the seven carriers that will offer individual market coverage through the exchange. They will also apply off-exchange, as all of these carriers offer their plans both… Read more about 2017 Rate Increases for Colorado Individual Health Insurance Market

Should Colorado become a single rating area? DOI conducting study

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Earlier this month, Governor Hickenlooper signed HB1336 into law. The law directs the Colorado Division of Insurance to “study the impacts and viability” of merging the whole state of Colorado into a single rating area for health insurance premiums. DOI spokesman Vincent Plymell noted that the DOI was eager to get going on the study. Per… Read more about Should Colorado become a single rating area? DOI conducting study

Open enrollment for 2017 coverage, and HSA contribution and coverage limits

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Open enrollment for 2017 coverage starts on November 1, 2016. The schedule for open enrollment will follow the same November 1 – January 31 dates that were used last year (that schedule will continue to be used for 2018 coverage as well, but it will shorted to just a six week window in November/December for… Read more about Open enrollment for 2017 coverage, and HSA contribution and coverage limits

Simple Choice plans in the federally-facilitated exchange

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Last month, I wrote about the standardized plans that will be optional for insurers to offer on Healthcare.gov this fall. I noted that standardized plans do not signal the end of HSA-qualified health insurance, and outlined the basic details surrounding standardized plans. The standardized plan designs that HHS finalized in the 2017 Benefit and Payment Parameters… Read more about Simple Choice plans in the federally-facilitated exchange

SB2 passes Senate – but it’s still a waste of time

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Last week, the Colorado Senate passed SB2, with a vote of 18 to 17. All of the Democrats in the Senate opposed the bill, and it’s doubtful that it will pass in the Democrat-controlled House (it’s currently with the State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee in the House). I wrote about SB2 in February, when… Read more about SB2 passes Senate – but it’s still a waste of time

Health News at the Population Health Blog

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Jaan Sidorov did an excellent job with the Health Wonk Review this week. Surprisingly enough, none of the entries in this week’s edition have anything to do with the presidential campaign or the candidates’ views on healthcare reform, so Dr. Sidorov dubbed it the “presidential politics-free” edition. There’s lot of good stuff in this round… Read more about Health News at the Population Health Blog

Standardized plans don’t signal the death of HSAs

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Is the HSA (health savings account) an endangered species? Yes, if you believe this National Review article. But at InsureBlog, Hank Stern explains why a lot of the National Review’s points are essentially conjecture. I agree with Hank on this one, and there’s more to the story if you read the details in the 2017 Benefit… Read more about Standardized plans don’t signal the death of HSAs

Last week’s HWR, and an upcoming “blab” chat

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I’m a bit behind the times here, but Charles Gaba hosted the Health Wonk Review at ACAsignups last week, and there’s plenty of good health wonkery over there for your reading pleasure. In addition, the Health Wonk Review is teaming up with David Harlow – of HealthBlawg fame – to begin hosting a “blab.” This… Read more about Last week’s HWR, and an upcoming “blab” chat

We should eliminate balance billing at in-network hospitals

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Earlier this month, lawmakers in Florida passed House Bill 221 in an effort to prevent surprise balance billing when patients are treated by out-of-network providers at in-network facilities. Governor Scott hasn’t yet signed HB221 into law, but details about how the law would work are outlined here. HB221 is being called a model for other states… Read more about We should eliminate balance billing at in-network hospitals

Commission cuts aren’t the same in states with state-run exchanges

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EDIT, March 29, 2016: In addition to having state-run exchanges, there’s another factor involved here, which is much more likely to be the correct explanation. California, Colorado, Connecticut, and Kentucky are the four states that have taken regulatory action to prevent health insurance carriers from cutting commissions. Although my initial hypothesis wasn’t bad, direct action… Read more about Commission cuts aren’t the same in states with state-run exchanges

Healthcare Reform: The Path Forward

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Welcome to the Health Wonk Review! It’s been nearly six years since the ACA was signed into law. And although most aspects of the law have now been implemented, the debate over its merits have not let up. In this election year, healthcare reform continues to be a hot topic, even dividing Democrats in terms… Read more about Healthcare Reform: The Path Forward

Money Changes Everything (and the Broncos won!) Edition of the HWR

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At medicareresources.org, Steve Anderson did an outstanding job with this week’s Money Changes Everything edition of the Health Wonk Review (although I think we can all agree that it’s actually the “Broncos Won the Super Bowl!!” edition?). There are a ton of great reads from some great health wonks. Here are some of my favorites:… Read more about Money Changes Everything (and the Broncos won!) Edition of the HWR

Should we eliminate the penalty exemption for a short gap in coverage?

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Over the last several weeks, much has been said about the need to tighten up enforcement of the ACA’s special enrollment period eligibility. And CMS has said they will conduct audits this year to ensure that people enrolling through Healthcare.gov for the remainder of this year have a valid qualifying event. There is concern that people… Read more about Should we eliminate the penalty exemption for a short gap in coverage?