Colorado Health Insurance Insider

No-cost broker assistance.

You are here: Home / Archives for Individual/Family Health

Individual/Family Health

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

By

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

By

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

Health News at the Population Health Blog

By

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

By

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

By

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

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

By

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

By

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

By

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?

By

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?

The HWR is ten!

By

Happy tenth birthday to the Health Wonk Review! We started writing about healthcare reform and related issues here on Colorado Health Insurance Insider in the summer of 2006, and quickly discovered the Health Wonk Review – which was in its infancy at that point. For nearly a decade, it’s been an excellent source of new ideas… Read more about The HWR is ten!

If you’re facing the subsidy cliff, enroll through Connect for Health Colorado

By

The Canon City Daily Record published a story this week highlighting how expensive health insurance is in the Colorado mountains, and how few carriers offer coverage in the mountains. Despite the fact that the Division of Insurance combined some rating areas to alleviate the problem ahead of the 2015 open enrollment period, rates for 2016… Read more about If you’re facing the subsidy cliff, enroll through Connect for Health Colorado

Holiday Health – Oh what fun it is!

By

Julie Ferguson hosted the Holiday Edition of the Health Wonk Review today at Workers’ Comp Insider – don’t miss it! The HWR leads off with a piece in Health Affairs written by several notable ACA opponents. It outlines their alternate vision for reforming healthcare, and is sure to resonate with other ACA opponents. Some aspects… Read more about Holiday Health – Oh what fun it is!

Should open enrollment end by December 31 to prevent adverse selection?

By

A year ago, I wrote a post in which I expressed the opinion that open enrollment should continue into January every year. At that point, the proposed guidelines from HHS had called for the 2016 open enrollment period to end on December 15, 2015 (ie, next week), and I noted that this would mean people… Read more about Should open enrollment end by December 31 to prevent adverse selection?

Thanksgiving Health

By

Brad Wright hosted the Counting Our Blessings edition of the Health Wonk Review today, and it’s a cornucopia of excellent articles. One of my favorites in this edition comes from Wendell Potter, explaining why Obamacare is not collapsing. And an article from Health Affairs about rising death rates among white women under age 55 is a… Read more about Thanksgiving Health

A harvest cornucopia of health wonkery

By

Joe Paduda did an excellent job with this week’s Health Wonk Review. If you’re looking for some good weekend reading material, look no further. I highly recommend Roy Poses’ article highlighting yet another case of the industry-government revolving door, and Max Horowitz’s summary of House v. Burwell and its implications for the ACA’s cost-sharing subsidies. And… Read more about A harvest cornucopia of health wonkery

Colorado Health OP risk corridor payment shortfall

By

EDIT 10/7/15: Updated information from Colorado Health OP added at the end of this post. EDIT 10/17/15: Updated with more details about the budget-neutrality of the risk corridor program.  EDIT 10/20/15: On October 19, Colorado Health OP filed a lawsuit in Denver District Court, seeking an injunction and temporary restraining order to allow them to participate in the… Read more about Colorado Health OP risk corridor payment shortfall

IRS 2016 HSA contribution limits and out-of-pocket maximums

By

Open enrollment is just around the corner, and it’s time to start thinking about the health insurance plan you want in 2016. HSA-qualified high deductible health plans (HDHPs) have remained a popular choice among consumers, with enrollment climbing every year for more than a decade. And while there used to be concerns that the ACA’s… Read more about IRS 2016 HSA contribution limits and out-of-pocket maximums

Potential legislation could change how health insurance works in Colorado

By

The Colorado Health Insurance Exchange Oversight Committee (a group of five Senators and five Representatives) met last week to discuss possible legislative ideas that could alter the health insurance system in Colorado.  The committee “passed” four bill ideas, which means they’ll be drafted by the Legislative Council this week and discussed in more detail at another… Read more about Potential legislation could change how health insurance works in Colorado