What We're Reading: Expanding ACA Participation; Challenge to Association Health Plans; Better Flu Vaccine

Insurers Expanding Presence in ACA Marketplaces

Although the Trump administration has slowly been chipping away at the Affordable Care Act (ACA), health insurers are feeling more confident in the ACA marketplaces. According to The Wall Street Journal, more insurers are turning profits in the marketplaces and regulatory filings show some insurers feel confident enough to expand their footprints. For instance, Centene Corp and Molina Healthcare will newly enter North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Utah, while Oscar Insurance will enter Florida, Arizona, and Michigan, as well as add to its presence in Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas.

New York, Massachusetts Challenge Association Health Plans

When announcing the final rule for implementing association health plans, the Trump administration highlighted that the plans can bypass many of the ACA’s requirements. Now, New York and Massachusetts are suing the administration over that fact, reported The Hill. According to the states’ attorneys general, the health plans “invite fraud, mismanagement, and deception.” The association health plans allow small businesses and self-employed individuals to band together to purchase insurance, even across state lines. Since the plans don’t have to cover the ACA’s 10 essential benefits, they are cheaper than typical ACA plans.

New Type of Flu Vaccine Slightly Better

A new flu vaccine was slightly more effective in seniors during last winter. The Associated Press reported that Flucelvax was 26.5% effective at keeping people age 65 and older out of the hospital. In comparison, the average effectiveness of all vaccines was 24%. In general, most flu vaccines were not very effective against the strain from last winter. Those vaccines are typically made in chicken eggs, but Flucelvax was made in animal cells instead.