In his speech, Mr. Hargan said the ACA has “failed” and that President Donald Trump is committed to repealing and replacing the law. But for now, the current administration has prepared for the ACA’s open enrollment, which began Wednesday.
“Dedicated public servants at HHS and in the states have put a great deal of work into preparing us for open enrollment season, and we are committed to making this year’s enrollment as consumer-friendly as possible,” Mr. Hargan said.
However, “our ability to do so is limited when we have such flawed rules governing what kinds of insurance products Americans are allowed to buy,” he added, although, “We do have some flexibility within the law to try to expand choices and promote affordability.”
He specifically cited an executive order signed by President Trump last month that aims to relax restrictions on association health plans, among other efforts.
Moving forward, Mr. Hargan said HHS “will be looking at ways to expand access to short-term limited-duration plans,” and, with other federal departments, will “be looking at new ways to use association health plans to finally allow Americans to purchase insurance across state lines.”
“We’re also looking at new, better and easier ways for employers and employees to use health reimbursement accounts to afford coverage that works for them,” he added.
More articles on leadership and management:
Study: Gender inequality is due to bias, not behavior
Senate considers Medicare, HHS extenders: 7 things to know
HHS seeks to reduce burden on religious groups to participate in healthcare
