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 Republican leaders including President-elect Donald Trump and U.S.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have said they are keen to
repeal President Barack Obama's signature health insurance program,
the Affordable Care Act, which provides coverage to millions of
Americans.
The process of repealing and replacing Obamacare could take two to
three years, however, according to some senators.
How much of the law will change and when is still unclear. Trump has
said some aspects of the program are good, such as allowing young
adults to stay insured with their parents until age 26.
The trade association America’s Health Insurance Plans, or AHIP, has
been speaking with senators for the past few weeks, spokeswoman
Kristine Grow said on Tuesday. She provided a list of issues under
discussion, which touch on the individual exchanges, Medicare and
Medicaid.
Insurers backed the idea of high-risk pools, saying they can
mitigate the risk of adverse selection and deliver effective
coverage. Both Trump and his choice to head the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, Tom Price, advocate for use of the pools
to insure the very sick.
Two of AHIP's largest members are Anthem Inc and Cigna Corp, both of
which plan to sell Obamacare plans in 2017.
Insurers also asked for funding through Jan. 1, 2019, for
cost-sharing programs and making the 2016 reinsurance payments to
insurers who qualify for them as planned. And they asked for
elimination of two health insurance taxes, which they said would
help slow premium growth.
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They suggested extending the deadline to file health exchange plans
by a few months until the summer of 2017, when there will be less
uncertainty and more insurers are likely to submit bids.
Insurers are asking senators for limited changes to the Medicaid
program during the transition period, and to ensure a transition
period for states that have expanded Medicaid, the program for the
poor jointly funded by the federal government and states.
Republicans are considering changing its funding to block grants,
which could cut the total amount.
On Medicare, the insurers are seeking changes as soon as February,
when the government will propose target rates for 2018 Medicare
Advantage plans.
(Editing by Matthew Lewis)
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