New WA Health Benefit Exchange data show a net decrease in private plan enrollment since March
Some interesting new data from the Washington Health Benefit Exchange last week: While 11,497 people have enrolled in qualified (private) health plans (QHP) since the end of open enrollment in March (thanks to qualifying life events), 24,072 are no longer enrolled. Additionally, the press release includes a chart showing enrollment churn — that is, the […]
September 02 , 2014 - Emily Makings
WA Health Benefit Exchange wants $59 million for 2015 — will that pencil out?
Last week the Washington Health Benefit Exchange board approved a $59.2 million budget for 2015. Legislators have only authorized up to $40 million for the exchange. The Seattle Times reports, A consultant’s report estimated the exchange would enroll about 85,000 new individuals in private health plans through the exchange for 2015 coverage, for a total of […]
August 22 , 2014 - Emily Makings
How will the WA Health Benefit Exchange fare in the 2015-17 state budget?
According to a Seattle Times blog post, an Urban Institute report recently found that Washington’s Healthplanfinder is only “moderately effective” on transparency. Additionally, “At its last meeting, the board of the Washington Health Benefit Exchange considered several transparency tools suggested by the Healthy Washington Coalition, comprising more than a dozen advocacy organizations and unions.” These […]
June 30 , 2014 - Emily Makings
New entrants for Washington's exchange and a proposed budget for 2015
McKinsey recently looked at health insurance carrier participation, plan offerings, and premium changes in the health exchanges of 12 states, including Washington. In Washington, there are four new carriers participating in 2015. For the lowest-price silver plans, the maximum premium decrease from 2014 is estimated to be 16 percent, while the maximum premium increase is […]
May 28 , 2014 - Emily Makings
Concerns about Washington exchange budget
The Puget Sound Business Journal reports that Washington Health Benefit Exchange board members are concerned about its budget for 2015. “I’m thrown. I’ve never seen a budget done quite like this,” said Ron Sims, former King County executive. He was attending his first meeting since being named the new exchange chair, although he hasn’t taken […]
May 19 , 2014 - Emily Makings
ACA fee could cost Washington $225 million over 10 years
The Affordable Care Act includes a provision that requires the health insurance industry to pay a fee totaling $8 billion in 2014, growing to $14.3 billion in 2018, and then indexed to premium growth. Health insurers will pay a portion of that fee based on their market share. For-profit insurers who provide Medicaid managed care […]
April 24 , 2014 - Emily Makings
Nearly final Washington Exchange enrollment numbers
Yesterday the Washington Health Benefit Exchange released new enrollment numbers. Open enrollment for qualified (private) health plans (QHP) ended March 31, but the Exchange allowed “those who were unable to complete their applications due to technical reasons or experienced other barriers to enrollment” to enroll after the deadline. The Exchange is still working with some […]
April 02 , 2014 - Emily Makings
At last minute, private plan enrollments spike
Monday was the last day to sign up for health insurance and avoid a penalty under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). As expected, there was a spike in enrollments in qualified (private) health plans (QHP) just before the deadline. Yesterday the Washington Health Benefit Exchange released enrollment numbers through March 31 (Medicaid numbers are through […]
March 26 , 2014 - Emily Makings
Washington Exchange private plan enrollments spring forward
According to the Washington Health Benefit Exchange, CEO Richard Onizuka said yesterday, “The expected surge in last-minute enrollments has begun.” It is certainly true that enrollments in qualified (private) health plans (QHP) increased significantly since the last report, but that “begun” is key. Will enrollments really jump further next week, or will they just increase […]
March 21 , 2014 - Emily Makings
Through February, only 23.3 percent of private plan exchange enrollments aged 18-34
As Megan McArdle wrote earlier this week about national health insurance enrollments, Demographics matter a lot because they will help determine whether the health insurance market goes into a death spiral (or requires hefty federal subsidies to keep it from doing so). Young healthy people, and a lot of them, are needed to keep the […]