STRENGTHEN THE ACA
PROTECT THE BASICS
Under no circumstance can pre-existing conditions be excluded from health insurance coverage.
If a parent's plan covers children, they can add or keep their children on their health insurance policy until they turn 26 years old.
Pressure the states that are hold-outs to expand Medicaid. Give them the same federal funding as those that previously expanded.
Do not raise the 3-to-1 rate band (premiums for those 55+ cannot be more than three times higher than those for younger people).
Protect the ban on yearly or lifetime dollar limits on essential health benefits.
Protect the cap on out-of-pocket spending. For 2020, these amounts are $8,150 for individuals and $16,300 for families.
Protect the ACA ban on gender-based premiums & the requirement that all insurers cover preventive health services without co-pays.
Retain the Cadillac health insurance tax, which is instrumental in funding the ACA and keeping health care costs down.
NOW, LET'S BE PROACTIVE ABOUT THE POTENTIAL SPOILERS!
SPOILER: LOW ENROLLMENT/NOT ENOUGH HEALTHY PEOPLE IN THE EXCHANGES
Extend the Affordable Care Act's subsidies to all consumers and place a floor on subsidies.
Reinstate & raise the Individual Shared Responsibility Payment, and strictly enforce the penalty. Garnish wages if necessary.
No longer require businesses to offer insurance to their employees.
Give states more flexibility to implement automatic enrollment programs.
SPOILER: PRIVATE INSURERS LEAVING THE EXCHANGES
STABILIZATION: Make the risk corridor permanent.
STABILIZATION: Resume and protect the insurers' disbursements guaranteed under the risk adjustment program.
STABILIZATION: Encourage states to start reinsurance programs.
Protect the ability of insurance companies to “silver load.”
Do not restrict narrowed network products.
Eliminate the ACA coverage mandate.
SPOILER: LACK OF COMPETITION IN MANY OF THE ONLINE INSURANCE MARKETPLACES
Open contracts for government programs (i.e. Medicaid) only to insurers that participate in the exchanges.
Strengthen competition and market incentives to control costs.
Require insurers to participate in broad regions.
Don't waste time on selling insurance across state lines. It's not worth the trouble.
See how we will get spending under control.
See other health care topics like mental health and prevention.
