Trump administration weighs health insurance ‘stabilization’

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

Worried about the nearly 20 million people who buy their own health insurance policies, the Trump administration and congressional Republicans are weighing how to stabilize a wobbly market, government and industry officials say.

A Republican congressional aide familiar with the internal discussions said some of the regulatory changes that the administration is considering include:

Tightening rules for “special enrollment periods” that allow consumers to sign-up outside of the standard open enrollment window.

Loosening a provision of the Affordable Care Act that prevents insurers from charging older customers more than three times the premium for young adults.

Shortening the 90-day grace period to pay premiums for consumers who get subsidized coverage. Insurers complain this makes it easier for people to game the system.

Shortening the current health law sign-up season, which runs about 90 days.

Relaxing rules on how insurers structure their networks of hospitals and doctors. Republicans tend to think those should be set by states.

The GOP aide spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Another person familiar with the administration’s thinking said the points were on target.

A White House regulatory website lists a health insurance market stabilization rule as “pending review.”

The proposed changes mirror requests by insurers, who argue they would help check premiums. Last week, major insurers Anthem and Aetna said they are assessing their participation for next year. Anthem spelled out changes it would like, including some on the administration’s list.

Along with the administration, congressional Republicans would have a role to play in stabilizing the markets, by stepping back from several previous efforts to block “Obamacare” financing.

Chief among them is the fate of billions in subsidies that help low- and moderate-income people cover high insurance deductibles and copayments.