CEO Blog: Washington Dialogue

To Our Valued Stakeholders,

We have a long way to go and a few short weeks to get there but the two days of hearings before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee this week featured members of both parties sharing ideas on bolstering the individual health insurance market. In fact, support for Congress continuing Cost Share Reductions came from members of both parties.

Reinsurance, which would give health insurance companies a backstop for covering their most expensive members, is also getting support, according to the Washington Post. This week’s hearings kindled hope of bipartisan action on broader policy initiatives, according to Morning Consult.

In Other News

The Division of Insurance (DOI) approved individual and small group rates for 2018 on Wednesday. The rates in the individual market increased 27 percent on average and 7 percent for the small group market. Both represent reductions from requested rates, according to the DOI announcement.

Supporters of the Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP), known as Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) in Colorado, got some encouraging words Thursday in a Senate Finance Committee hearing, according to The Hill. But time is short. Authorization for CHP+ runs out in just three weeks without action.

Colorado Health Care Policy and Financing, who administers CHP+, is providing updates here.

Take care,

Kevin

Kevin Patterson, MURP, MPA
Chief Executive Officer
Connect for Health Colorado