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Finance issue brief: insurance reform
Issue Brief (Health Policy Tracking Service)
|November 10, 2000
Summary
Federal and state reforms aim to expand health insurance access, especially for small businesses. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) mandated key market changes like guaranteed issue and portability.
Area of Science:
- Health Policy
- Insurance Market Regulation
Background:
- Individual and small group health insurance markets face challenges in access.
- Small businesses are major employers of the uninsured workforce.
Observation:
- State legislatures initiated reforms in the small group market.
- The federal government enacted the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 1996 to ensure broader insurance coverage.
Findings:
- HIPAA mandated states to implement laws for guaranteed issue, renewal, preexisting conditions, portability, and nondiscrimination.
- The act also addressed long-term care, postpartum inpatient care, medical savings accounts, and mental health parity.
Implications:
- These reforms aim to increase health insurance accessibility for individuals and small business employees.
- Federal mandates ensure a baseline of consumer protections and market fairness across states.