With New Rule, Trump Wants To Relax ACA Standards, Give States More Flexibility
Here's a look at how the proposed rule would change the marketplaces. Meanwhile, the House and the administration want to continue to pause the court case dealing with insurer subsidies, but Democrats want to push forward with it.
Modern Healthcare:
10 Ways The Trump Administration Proposes To Loosen ACA Market Rules
The CMS Friday issued a proposed rule to carry out President Donald Trump's January executive order to relax Affordable Care Act requirements on consumers, insurers and other healthcare industry groups. The agency said the goal is to give states greater flexibility to take steps to stabilize the individual and small-group insurance markets and increase health plan affordability. The rule would take effect in 2019. Public comments are due by Nov. 27. (Meyer, 10/30)
Modern Healthcare:
CMS Proposed Rule Opens Door To Skimpier Health Plans, Higher Patient Costs
The CMS proposed a rule late Friday that would allow states to define the minimum essential health benefits that health insurers selling plans on the Affordable Care Act exchanges are required to offer. Health insurance experts say such a change would lead to skimpier health plans on the individual and small group insurance markets and higher out-of-pocket costs for consumers. The CMS proposed rule would give states greater latitude in choosing which benefits insurers must cover. It would allow states to choose a benchmark plan from wider pool of existing plans, including health plans from other states. The benchmark plan defines just what essential benefits other plans must cover. (Livingston, 10/30)
The Hill:
House, Trump Admin Seek To Keep ObamaCare Payments On Hold
The House and the Trump administration are asking to keep a pause on a years-long court battle over the legality of crucial ObamaCare payments to insurers, while Democratic attorneys general are seeking for the case to proceed. In 2014, the House sued the Obama administration, arguing it was funding key payments to insurers illegally, alleging that there wasn’t a direct appropriation from Congress. The House won, and the Obama administration appealed the ruling. (Roubein, 10/30)
