Solving The Problem Of Bipartisan Health Care Reform

After the Senate Republicans repeatedly failed to obtain a majority for any health care bill, a bipartisan effort at health care reform has emerged in the House. The effort is led by the so-called Problem Solvers, a group of 43 Representatives, divided roughly equally between Democrats and Republicans. The legislative goals of this bipartisan group are short-term and sensible: to stabilize the state insurance exchanges, reduce the burdens on small employers, and mitigate the impact of higher premiums on individuals. While avoiding the over-heated politics of revamping Medicaid, the group wants to accomplish its goals without adding to the projected federal deficit. The bipartisan achievement of these legislative goals is critical to the viability of the current health care system. The Congressional Budget Office has declared that, if President Trump cut off the reimbursements to insurers for subsidies to low-income policy holders, most premiums for these policies would rise by up to 20 percent and the federal budget deficit would rise by almost $200 billion in the next decade. In this post, I first evaluate the proposals of the Problem Solvers to amend the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Second, I offer additional proposals that I view as consistent with group’s goals. The Proposals Of The Problem Solvers Stabilizing The State Insurance Exchanges President Trump is threatening to cut off federal reimbursements to insurance companies that reduce copayments and deductibles for low...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - Category: Health Management Authors: Tags: Following the ACA Insurance and Coverage Medicare ACA reform bipartisanship health savings accounts IPAB Source Type: blogs