CENTER UPDATE | June 2023
In this Issue:
- R. 3800: Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act
- EBRI Report: Implications of Braidwood v. Becerra
- Preventive Services Still in Place after Court Agreement
- Are We Any Closer to V-BID X?
- Health Insurers Play a Key Role in Health Equity
- Nebraska Limits Insulin Costs
H.R. 3800: Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act
Last week, the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act (H.R. 3800), was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and approved by the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee by a vote of 34-6. The bill allows employers to offer pre-deductible coverage of 14 chronic care health services for employees using a high-deductible health plan. The Ways and Means Committee also adopted H.R. 1843, which permanently allows pre-deductible coverage of telehealth services.
Report: Implications of Braidwood v. Becerra
An EBRI report released today assesses the impact of imposing cost-sharing on the services and prescription drug classes receiving an “A” or “B” from the USPSTF on enrollee and employer spending. Findings show that if the Braidwood ruling is upheld, and employers reimpose cost-sharing on preventive services that are currently free to enrollees, patients could face a significant increase in out-of-pocket spending, while employers would see little impact on overall spending.
Preventive Services Still in Place after Court Agreement
The Biden administration has signed an order partially halting the Braidwood v. Becerra ruling. The ruling would jeopardize preventive care for 150 million insured people, but Congress could easily put the popular law on an unassailable constitutional foundation with a single sentence, by giving the final authority regarding the USPSTF recommendations to HHS Secretary Becerra.
Are We Any Closer to V-BID X?
A recent analysis of progress toward actualizing V-BID X notes that while the model plan has not been officially adopted, value-based insurance design has been implemented in more than 50 MA organizations. V-BID has resulted in increased utilization of high-value services and increased customization of benefits.
Health Insurers Play a Key Role in Health Equity
According to a report from the United Hospital Fund, health insurance providers have the leverage to address health care inequities. Promising interventions include recently announced health equity standards by the Massachusetts and DC exchanges that eliminate consumer cost-sharing for services used to manage several chronic conditions that disproportionately effect Black and Latinx enrollees, such as diabetes, asthma, coronary artery disease, and hypertension. BCBSMA’s health equity initiative includes publicly available data reporting on racial disparities in care and current efforts to address these disparities.
Health Insurers Play a Key Role in Health Equity
Last week, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen signed legislation capping monthly out-of-pocket insulin costs at $3 beginning June 1, 2024. This makes 23 states and DC that have introduced caps on insulin costs, as well as the Inflation Reduction Act‘s $35/month cap for Medicare beneficiaries.
Health Insurers Play a Key Role in Health Equity
A systematic review has found that reducing out-of-pocket costs for patients using blood pressure and cholesterol medications is associated with improvements in medication adherence. Researchers state that these findings are applicable to the following groups: adults 18-64 years old; women and men; Latinx, white, and African American patients; low-income patients.
Please Help Support the V-BID Center
As we near the end of 2022, we recognize our accomplishments over the past year and look ahead to all we can achieve at the University of Michigan Center for Value-Based Insurance Design. Generosity from collaborators and friends like you allows us to remain focused on equity enhancing programs that improve access and affordability to essential clinical services
You will play an essential role in the future success of the V-BID Center by making a gift today. Thank you for your support.
