States That Run Their Own Marketplaces Have Responded Better to ACA Threats, But There’s a Limit
<p>States that have retained local control over their health insurance marketplaces appear better able to respond to threats to their stability, including recent actions by the Trump administration and its congressional allies to undermine the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a new Commonwealth Fund report finds.</p>
<p>According to Georgetown University researchers, officials with the 17 state-run marketplaces have used their broad authority to take steps to reduce consumer confusion, counter market uncertainty, and promote stable participation by insurers. And their efforts appear to have paid off: states operating their own marketplaces were able to retain insurers in 2017 at a higher rate than states relying on the federal marketplace. Moreover, their premium rate increases, though substantial, were generally less than those in federal marketplace states.</p>
<p>Authors Justin Giovannelli and Emily Curran caution, however, that “states’ capacity to deal with federal uncertainty is not unlimited.” They note that for the marketplaces to work as intended, “constructive federal engagement and support will be essential.”</p>
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/newsletters/ealerts/2018/mar/states-that-run-their-own-marketplaces-have-responded-better-to-aca-threats Read the post