How the Cruz Amendment might affect the marketplace: applying different rules to competing health plans
- Collection:
- Health Policy and Services Research
- Series Title(s):
- Issue brief (Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)
- Author(s):
- Pollitz, Karen, author Damico, Anthony, author
- Contributor(s):
- Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, issuing body.
- Publication:
- Menlo Park, CA : Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, July 2017
- Language(s):
- English
- Format:
- Text
- Subject(s):
- Health Care Reform -- legislation & jurisprudence Insurance Coverage -- legislation & jurisprudence Insurance, Health -- legislation & jurisprudence Insurance Benefits Preexisting Condition Coverage -- legislation & jurisprudence Humans United States United States.
- Genre(s):
- Technical Report
- Abstract:
- As the Senate considers the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), a proposal to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), amendments have been discussed to further change private health insurance market rules that apply under current law. Under the BCRA, current law health insurance market rules would still apply: Insurers in the non-group health insurance market are prohibited from turning applicants down or charging higher premiums based on health status and from excluding coverage for pre-existing conditions. In addition, all policies must provide major medical coverage for 10 categories of essential health benefits and must limit the annual out-of-pocket cost sharing (deductibles, co-pays and coinsurance) that people must pay for covered services in network (although states can alter those requirements through waivers). However, one discussion draft amendment to the BCRA, suggested by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) as part of the July 13 version of the bill, would allow insurers in the non-group market to also sell some policies that would not be required to follow all of the ACA market rules. These noncompliant policies could turn people down or charge them more based on health status and could exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions. In addition, noncompliant policies would not have to meet ACA essential health benefit and cost sharing standards. This brief examines the likely impact of such a change on the stability of coverage offered through non-group markets and on the number of individuals who might be affected.
- Copyright:
- Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY license. (More information)
- Extent:
- 1 online resource (1 PDF file (4 pages))
- Illustrations:
- Illustrations
- NLM Unique ID:
- 101717001 (See catalog record)
- Permanent Link:
- http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101717001