AHA comments on proposed rule for 2021 health plans, exchanges

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ proposed rule on the standards governing health insurance issuers and the Health Insurance Marketplaces for 2021 includes a number of policies that could benefit patients by lowering drug prices and premiums, incentivizing use of high-value services and ensuring premium dollars are spent wisely, AHA said in comments submitted yesterday.

“We are concerned, however, that CMS continues to consider changes to automatic reenrollment, which could result in the loss of coverage for vulnerable enrollees and contribute to marketplace destabilization,” AHA said. “We are also concerned about the continued rise in annual cost-sharing limits, which many Americans already struggle to afford.”

AHA encouraged the agency to “go further in future rulemaking to advance policies that will not only maintain the status quo but also build on the progress already made. Such policies include substantially increasing funding for outreach and enrollment efforts, extending the open enrollment period, and increasing lower- and middle-income individuals and families’ access to premium tax credits.”