House
Energy and Commerce Democrats Ask Insurers for Details on COVID-19 Coverage, Profits
On Aug. 13, House Energy & Commerce Democrats asked five major health insurers and four dental insurance companies to explain their profits, coverage policies and practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Oversight subcommittee Chair Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Health subcommittee Chair Anna Eshoo (D-CA) sent letters to Anthem, Cigna, CVS Health, Humana and UnitedHealth Group, as well as dental insurance companies. The letters asked for the companies’ net income and earnings for years 2018, 2019 and each of the first two quarters of 2020, broken down by line of business and including stand-alone dental. The letters asked for member premiums and the claims amounts paid out during each of those periods.
House and Senate Democrats Against Proposed Rule Granting Flexibility for Grandfathered Plans
On Aug. 11, House Labor & Education Chair Bobby Scott (D-VA), Energy & Commerce Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Ways & Means Chair Richard Neal (D-MA), Senate Finance ranking Democrat Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) ranking member Patty Murray (D-WA) asked the Trump administration to end its proposal for more flexibility to grandfathered plans not compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The listed concerns included an increase in cost sharing during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as an increase of the premium adjustment percentage that could increase out-of-pocket costs.
Senate
Baldwin, Murphy Ask CBO to Revisit Assumptions on Short-Term Plans
On Aug. 13, Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) asked the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to reevaluate the determination that an amount of the short-term limited-duration insurance (STLDI) plans allowed by the Trump administration should be considered as health insurance. CBO earlier projected traditional short-term plans for which those enrolled would be considered uninsured, and new STLDI plans, the enrollees of which would be considered insured. The senators said only plans without protections are being offered.
Read more on healthcare policy in McGuireWoods Consulting’s Washington Healthcare Update.