President Obama spoke with a number of health insurer CEOs in light of recent high-profile Affordable Care Act exchange exits and growing industry concern of the health law, The Hill reports.
Here are five things to know about the meeting.
1. Executives from Blue Cross Blue Shield plans and CEOs of Louisville, Ky.-based Humana and Long Beach, Calif.-based Molina Healthcare were among those who attended. HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell and Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett were also present.
2. The White House said the meeting allowed insurers and HHS to talk about how to increase new consumer enrollment and encourage returning consumers to shop around before reenrolling. "Administration officials underscored the importance of continuing the work that has helped bring the nation's uninsured rate to the lowest level on record and solicited ideas for how to further strengthen the Marketplace," the White House said.
3. In addition, on Monday the president sent a letter to every insurer offering plans on ACA exchanges highlighting the administration's efforts to address their concerns. President Obama wrote "this progress has not been without challenges," and the majority of "new enterprises have growing pains and opportunities for improvement. The Marketplace, while strong, is no exception. Time and experience will help drive that improvement, as will constructive policy changes."
4. In his letter, the president also alluded to HHS' effort to enroll more young consumers through ACA exchanges. The administration said it will contact individuals who paid the tax penalty for not purchasing insurance with information about how to enroll. Experts see the next open enrollment — beginning Nov. 1 — as a test to see if enrollment numbers can increase and if younger, healthier consumers will enter the market, The Hill reports.
5. One of the attendees, Molina Healthcare, recently announced its support of HHS' Notice of Benefits Payment Parameters for 2018. In late August CMS proposed changes to its risk adjustment program. The permanent program was intended to shift funds from insurers with low-cost enrollees to plans with high-cost enrollees. It also proposed more stringent rules for special enrollment periods, which insurers have said allow recently sick individuals to enter risk pools and drive up costs.
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