HHS reports still only about 10,000 people are in state-run and federally run risk pools, but enrollment in the federally run programs has about doubled in the past 75 days. Some states also report hefty increases after launching aggressive outreach campaigns and many more are now starting up such campaigns. HHS will survey enrollment in state-run pools later this month.
Last week, however, the House Energy & Commerce Committee launched an investigation into the high-risk pool program, noting that, “early enrollment has proven sluggish despite early predictions [of high interest].” The committee has requested numerous documents from HHS on enrollment numbers and outreach efforts.
Republicans cite risk pools as the best way to protect people with pre-existing conditions, who often cannot buy individual insurance policies on the private market. However, the reform law is only using them as a temporary solution. The law will phase them out in 2014, when it adds 32 million people to Medicaid and private insurance and bars insurers from denying coverage to adults with preexisting conditions. However, those plans depend on federal courts’ approval of the law’s mandate to buy health insurance.
Read the Politico report on healthcare reform.
Read more coverage of high-risk pools.
–Few People Signing up for New Preexisting Condition Coverage
–Risk Pools, GOP’s Alternative to Individual Mandate, Getting Few Takers So Far
–19 States Refuse to Create High-Risk Pools Despite $5B in Federal Funding
