Are Copper Plans the Solution for Affordability?
President Trump introduced the concept of a copper plan as a solution to healthcare affordability. But is it a solution? Yes, copper premiums will be lower than what is currently offered...
Denial Rates: Fact or Fiction?
The killing of the CEO of a major health plan has again highlighted the issue of denials and denial rates in today’s healthcare marketplace. It is fairly common in today’s marketplace to criticize those plans with higher than average denial rates.
COVID Christmas Gifts
As we sit here in December 2021 COVID is still active and cases appear to be climbing in certain pockets of the United States. In early 2020, when the pandemic began, few of us ever thought that we would be dealing with...
Impressions of the ACA: The 1st Year of the 2nd Decade
I cannot help myself. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) last year, I wrote about 30 influential voices in the ACA’s first decade. At the end, I surmised the article probably deserved a reprisal...
The ACA’s Silver Bulletin
What if I told you that two sentences in a rate filing guidance could potentially add $5 billion of federal subsidies to the individual market and bring substantial premium relief...
The ACA’s Changing Coverage Goals: From Obama/Biden to Trump
A recent summary of “Where Joe Biden Stands on 10 Important Issues” notes his defense of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in a Washington Post editorial. It was the “most people” reference in the quotation above that drew...
A Return-to-Work Framework In a COVID World
Much of the media coverage surrounding the COVID-induced economic situation typically pertains to the historic unemployment numbers, number of business closures, and the potential need for additional...
Actuaries versus Experts: Lost Sheep Astray on Route ACA
I spent most of Memorial Day weekend in my backyard, about an hour from the San Diego coastline. More time was dedicated to writing rather than grilling, and I wrapped up a four-part series...
Impressions of the ACA: 10 Years, 30 Voices
I’m a math guy. I always have been. While I did well in most subjects in school, I excelled at math. In high school, I completed an advanced calculus course in my junior year. I had to commute to the...
Metalball: Gold < Silver ‘Gets on Base’
I haven’t been to many movies recently, but two that I have seen are Invincible and Moneyball. Observant readers will recognize each as nonfictional portrayals of sports figures with a unique story. A smaller...