State moves to secure health insurance coverage for residents pending Supreme Court ruling
The majority of consumers in the United States receive subsidies from the federal government that helps cover the cost of health insurance coverage purchased through exchanges. These subsidies are being threatened, however, by a potential ruling from the Supreme Court. The issue involves whether or not it is legal for the federal government to provide subsidies through exchanges that it operates. Per the Affordable Care Act, these subsidies are primarily available through state-run exchanges.
Mississippi has proposed a contingency plan to ensure people do not lose their insurance coverage
Mississippi has been working on a contingency plan if the Supreme Court rules to strike down federal subsidies. Without subsidies, many consumers would not be able to afford their health insurance coverage, which could leave them without the coverage that they have come to rely on. The contingency plan is meant to protect the subsidies that an estimated 100,000 people living in the state currently receive.
Expanding state’s Medicaid program has been difficult
Expanding health insurance coverage has been an ongoing issue in Mississippi. Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney has previously tried to establish a state-run exchange, but his plans were unable to comply with federal standards. Expanding the state’s Medicaid program has also been troublesome. A state-run exchange would allow those in Mississippi that receive subsidies to keep their financial support, but the state does not have any plans to build its own exchange in the foreseeable future.
States continue to work to ensure people keep their insurance coverage
Health insurance coverage has become a hot topic for many people living in the United States. Insurance premiums for those with policies sold through exchanges are on the rise, and there may be little relief in sight for many consumers. If subsidies are struck down by the Supreme Court, the financial strain on these consumers will increase exponentially. As such, states have been working on a solution to this problem, but few have managed to form a contingency plan that would be able to address this issue.