2014-Feb-12 - Rex Durington

Supplemental Health

Hause's Health Practice is busy handling a number of projects that have developed in the aftermath of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA, aka the ACA or ObamaCare).

With the confusion and cost associated with Obamacare, a number of agents and companies have found a deeper market for supplemental health plans. Pricing and research projects have included critical illness, accident excess medical expense, hospital indemnity and short-term disability among others.

The younger age market, in particular, is looking for bare bones coverage - "essential benefits" meaning coverage for accidents only or catastrophic events as opposed to the PPACA definition. The "young invincibles" often view the ACA version of "essential benefits" as more coverage than they want, need, or are willing to buy.

We all are looking for alternatives to the high deductibles and high out of pocket maximums in the ObamaCare Exchange plans and in employer sponsored insurance. Supplemental health insurance products are typically marketed to fill these gaps in coverage - cash for unexpected expenses including the high first-dollar cost of your primary insurance.

The lower premiums, lower out of pocket maximums, and simplicity of plan design that supplemental health products provide are attractive to consumers, agents and companies.

Government Programs

Hause's Health Practice also has a substantial amount of work from our government clients indirectly affected by the implementation of ObamaCare.

Delays in enrollment and state versus federal rollout variations of ObamaCare have resulted in the need for several cost analyses and projection revisions. These changes have typically been related to population expansion/contraction as well as the impact on plan costs for current enrollees. Each new variation in the ObamaCare rules has a secondary impact on programs from high risk pools to Medicaid wrap-around programs. In some cases, expectations change on a daily basis. Hause has been responsive to each of our government clients to keep them apprised of the financial after effects of policy decisions on the state and Federal level.

Finally, Hause continues to expand our research into state variations for non-emergency transportation and PACE programs. Expect more on these topics by this summer. If you have a research topic you would like us to explore, please feel free to contact us.