New Health Policy and Law Study Results from University of Iowa Described (The Devolution of Health Reform? a Comparative Analysis of State Innovation Waiver Activity)

2019 APR 24 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health Policy and Law Daily -- Current study results on Legal Issues - Health Policy and Law have been published. According to news reporting originating in Iowa City, Iowa, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) establishes state innovation waivers, which if approved allow states to waive certain ACA requirements, provided that insurance coverage remains comparable to the ACA with respect to affordability, benefit design, and enrollment, without increasing the federal deficit. The Trump administration has encouraged states to pursue these waivers, but the administration’s haphazard approval process raises numerous questions about the malevolence and/or incompetence behind the administration’s inconsistent behavior.”

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from the University of Iowa, “The authors analyzed the thirteen 1332 waiver applications that states have submitted since January 2017, and they discuss the progress of states that are pursuing but have not submitted a 1332 waiver application and report on conversations with four states in the early stages of considering a 1332 waiver application. They found that most states are using or considering 1332 waivers to implement reinsurance programs rather than pursuing more sweeping reforms.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “Given evidence that such reinsurance programs both are more likely to gain federal approval and appear effective at stabilizing Health Insurance Marketplace premiums, they expect this trend to continue.”

For more information on this research see: The Devolution of Health Reform? a Comparative Analysis of State Innovation Waiver Activity. Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, 2019;44(2):315-331. Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law can be contacted at: Duke Univ Press, 905 W Main St, Ste 18-B, Durham, NC 27701, USA.

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting B. Wright, University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Hlth Management & Policy, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States. Additional authors for this research include A. Porter, P.M. Singer and D.K. Jones.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1215/03616878-7277404. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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