Latest Healthcare Reform News UpdatesMarch 8, 2018New Analysis Charts Outperformance of State-Run ACA MarketplacesThe 17 states that currently administer their own ACA marketplaces perform better than the federal marketplace, according to a new The Commonwealth Fund analysis. The results state: The data review found that state-run marketplaces have:- Lower projected premiums ($633 per month vs. $526 per month) for the individual market.- Lower projected medical claims ($478 per month vs. $419 per month).- A lower portion of premiums going to medical claims rather than overhead (20.2 percent vs. 24.7 percent).- A lower percentage of cost increases in 2018 compared to 2017.- A lower percentage of rate increases year over year.March 2, 2018California Could Lose 18% of ACA Marketplace Enrollees Next YearWithout the ACA’s individual mandate, 18 percent of California residents with Covered California marketplace health plans could drop their coverage, according to a new Harvard Medical School survey.Without a penalty for being uninsured, healthier residents are more likely to go without coverage. The loss of these enrollees could raise premiums by 12 to 16 percent next year.“While California would continue to have a stable individual market, and we have the reserves and flexibility to adjust for this impact, the impacts would be real and significant for California’s consumers,” said Peter Lee, Covered California’s executive director.March 1, 2018Association Plans Could Bump 4.3 Million Off ACA CoverageThe administration’s plan to expand association health plans could cause between 2.4 million and 4.3 million people to switch from ACA marketplace plans to association plans by 2022, according to a recent study. The study also found that the association plans would cause:- A premium increase for ACA marketplace plans by as much as 4 percent.- Between 130,000 to 140,000 people to become uninsured by 2022 due to high premiums.- Between 1.7 million and 3.2 million people to exit the small group market.- 700,000 to 1.2 million people to leave the individual market.Premiums for the association plans could be up to $10,800 lower than the individual market and up to $4,100 lower than the small group market.The study reports that changes allowing or incentivizing healthier individuals to exit the individual and small group market to pursue other, sometimes non-ACA-compliant coverage offerings, could lead to higher costs for those sicker, less healthy individuals and groups who remain behind in the ACA-regulated markets,” the study states.ACA Popularity Reaches Record HighA poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that 54 percent of Americans approve of the ACA, the highest rating since the group began its monthly poll in 2010. In addition, only 13 percent of respondents were aware that the repeal of the individual mandate goes into effect in 2019. Others were either unaware of the repeal or unclear on when it will be implemented.Source: Health Markets Updatess