SUBMIT COMMENTS FOR ACA RULES
The NDNRC wants to make sure that people with disabilities (PWDs) are aware of potential changes to their healthcare with the new administration taking office. The disability community utilizes Medicaid and the ACA (Affordable Care Act) Marketplace plans at a higher rate than those without disabilities due to their unique needs.
By updating this newsletter with resources and educational pieces on where disability health policies stand, we hope to ensure that the disability community continues to have access to accessible and affordable healthcare coverage no matter what changes occur in the foreseeable future.
Please submit comments on the proposed ACA changes through the Federal Register by TODAY, April 11!
A proposed ACA Marketplace rule will increase costs for many individuals and decrease access to quality healthcare coverage. Health Affairs released a Part 1 and Part 2 breakdown of each change that would restrict the Marketplace as it relates to eligibility, enrollment, and affordability.
The American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) plans to submit comments on what major proposals will directly affect people with disabilities, which are as follows:
- Past-Due Premiums
- Would allow insurers to require enrollees to pay back any previously unpaid premiums before coverage takes effect
- Limited Open Enrollment (OE) Periods/Annual Open Enrollment Periods
- Would shorten OE to November 1 to December 15
- Verifying Income Eligibility
- Would add new requirements for individuals to verify income eligibility for financial assistance
- Verifying Eligibility for Special Enrollment Periods (SEP)
- Would add new requirement for individuals to prove their eligibility for SEPs
- Elimination of Low-Income SEP
- Would eliminate SEP that exists for those with incomes below 150% FPL
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
- Would no longer be “lawfully present” and therefore would be ineligible for financial assistance for a marketplace plan
- Prohibition on Coverage of Sex-trait Modification as an Essential Health Benefit (EHB)
- Would no longer be considered an EHB thereby no longer subjecting it to cost-sharing and most likely increasing out-of-pocket costs for transgender individuals
The NDNRC urges advocates, researchers, policy experts, and those with lived experience or a relationship to disability to submit comments by April 11 on these changes. AAHD created a comment guide that covers plain language, steps on submitting a comment, and other recommendations.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) released a statement on the House passage of the congressional budget resolution, noting that it will increase the risk of a recession, increase unemployment rates, and increase pricing in healthcare coverage. CBPP looked back at 2017 tax laws that did not end up boosting the economy.
Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families also commented on the large budget cuts and how they would decrease access to people with disabilities, children, and families. These cuts would cut funding for Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.
CBPP further commented on SNAP and WIC having positive health outcomes for the populations that use it and the impacts of shifting costs.
Focusing on the negative impacts that Medicaid will have as budget reconciliation moves to committees, Community Catalyst covered how cuts to Medicaid would negatively impact people with disabilities, children, and families:
- Loss of coverage for millions of people
- Home and community-based services would be decreased
- Preventive care services would be at risk
- Increased medical debt
The Commonwealth Fund reiterated its commitment to engaging with policymakers and stakeholders to make sure that the health of everyone can improve, especially during current attacks on public health. The National Health Law Program released an issue on how Medicaid work requirements would greatly and negatively affect rural communities and Justice in Aging continues to update their Medicaid Defense page.
The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) has issue briefs on Medicaid eligibility levels for older adults and people with disabilities and Medicaid home and community-based service surveys for readers to review.
KFF has also updated its overview of the current administration’s executive actions that have been impacting LGBTQ+ health and a comprehensive look at what health spending issues to keep watch on for the rest of the year.
Archives of our weekly updates are available on the NDNRC website.