Dive Brief:
- A report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute concludes that some states are implementing strategies to protect health insurance consumers from "rate shock" and adverse selection under the ACA.
- Strategies states are employing include rules blocking health plans from renewing earlier than usual -- a tactic that would delay their compliance with ACA—and requiring that health plans offer policies at each of the "metal" levels (bronze, silver, gold and platinum.
- States are also considering extending the life of high-risk pools—Maryland may not shut its pool down until 2020—to transition people from the high-risk pools to the exchanges.
Dive Insight:
There's little doubt that the entrance of ACA plans on the health exchanges is going to shake up the health insurance market. States are wise to look at what implications these changes have for the existing plans, and take action to soften adverse effects that may be on the way. It's unlikely they'll be able to fight off the effects of adverse selection completely, as the reality is that sick people will be enrolling in droves, but it's better to do something than just watch, certainly.