Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Archives

Health insurance plan enrollment has shifted due to the pandemic

November 6, 2020November 5, 2020 Marc

Health insurance plan enrollment - pandemic - American flag on face mask

As is the case with everything else, signing up for coverage has been impacted by COVID-19. As has been the trend with virtually everything in 2020, health insurance plan enrollment has been impacted by the presence of the pandemic. The coverage and benefits have altered due to the impact of the pandemic on health care. As insurers, employers, and even Medicare have seen the needs of policyholders change throughout the pandemic, they have made changes to coverage in an effort to better respond COVID-19. Consumers are also taking a closer…

Alabama Children’s Health Insurance Plan will Start Removing Kids on January 1

December 21, 2017December 20, 2017 H. Cutner

CHIP alamaba children's health insurance plan

Low income families across the state are facing a rough start to the year as 7,000 kids will lose their coverage. The Alabama Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) is beginning their first stages toward shutting down coverage for all kids it covers in the state. The first phase will involve cutting 7,000 children from low income families starting on January 1, 2018. State officials say CHIP is running out of funds following Congress’s failure to renew in time. The kids whose Alabama Children’s Health Insurance Plan, also known as All…

Texas Children’s Health Insurance Program to receive $135 Million

December 19, 2017December 27, 2017 G. Turner

CHIP Texas children's health insurance program

The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is sending funds to the state to keep the program alive. The Texas Children’s Health Insurance Program was rapidly running out of funds as federal Congress has yet to renew CHIP’s funding. That said, the Texas Health and Services Commission wrote to Governor Greg Abbott to inform him that the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will be providing the state with $135 million to sustain the program until the end of February. In Texas, CHIP provides over 450,000 uninsured kids…

Young consumers weigh the cost of health insurance and federal penalties

February 1, 2016January 31, 2016 S.Vagus

Young adults are not convinced that insurance coverage is a viable financial option Young adults in the United States have faced a difficult decision during the latest open enrollment period. As open enrollment comes to an end, young and health consumers have had to decide whether or not to purchase health insurance coverage or face a federal fine and which of the two may end up being more expensive. Notably, the fine for those without insurance has gone up in 2016, which may have influenced many young people’s decision to…

Health insurance enrollments remain low among young adults

January 12, 2016January 10, 2016 H. Cutner

The Affordable Care Act needs younger and healthier consumers to sign up to offset costs from older policyholders. As much as the Affordable Care Act has seen a considerable growth in the number of uninsured people who have been signing up for health insurance through the exchange websites, there is one considerable area of struggle that it has been facing in terms of sign-ups: young adults. This problem isn’t a minor one, as the ACA had been relying on healthy people to offset the expenses of the sick. As young…

Health insurance and medication is growing more expensive in the US

December 7, 2015December 6, 2015 S.Vagus

Health care costs saw significant growth in 2014 Health care costs saw significant growth in 2014, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The federal agency has noted that health care expenditures are accelerating, with consumers and businesses spending a great deal of money on insurance coverage. As costs continue to grow, consumers are beginning to feel significant financial pressure. Finding a way to reduce health insurance costs is beginning to become a priority for the country, but an effective solution has yet to be found. Centers for…

Health insurance companies in Arkansas owe $7.1 million in rebates

November 30, 2015November 28, 2015 S.Vagus

Insurers are finding it difficult to comply with a provision of the Affordable Care Act Arkansas businesses and consumers are owed a great deal of money from the state’s health insurance companies. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, these companies collected too much in premiums last year and are now required by federal law to reimburse consumers and businesses. Per the Affordable Care Act, insurers are required to spend no less than 80% of the money they collect from premiums on medical care, something that some insurers…