Documents

PPC Documents, Letters and Statements

• PPC Adverstisement on Advance Premium Tax Credits

  09/08/2021

  Ad urging Congress to make expanded advance premium tax credits permanent

• Comments RE Surprise Billing and Implementation of the No Surprises Act

  09/07/2021

  Comments offering input on how to provide consumers with clear, comprehensive protections against surprise bills where they have not knowingly obtained out-of-network care, and to ensure the independent dispute resolution process does not lead to higher costs for patients.

• Program - Extension Request DemComments RE Texas Healthcare Transformation and Quality Improvement onstration

  08/30/2021

  Comments describing complications for quality, affordable health care raised by Texas’ proposal.

• Letter to Congressional Leadership Requesting that Advance Premium Tax Credits Enhancements Be Made Permanent

  08/03/2021

  Letter describing the importance of enhanced premium tax credits for consumers and requesting they remain permenant

• Letter on to Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee on Request for Information on Design Considerations for Legislation to Develop a Public Health Insurance Option

  07/30/2021

  Letter describing policies to consider when developing a public option to ensure it is accessible, adequate, and affordable for consumers

• Comments RE: the Improving Health Insurance Markets Proposed Rule

  07/28/2021

  Comments supporting proposed rule as good step to improve and safeguard the accessibility, affordability, and quality of care for the patients and consumers and reestablish a regulatory framework consistent with the plain language of the ACA and the purposes for which it was enacted.

• Comments Re: Colorado 1332 State Innovation Waiver Five-Year Extension Application Reinsurance Program

  06/25/2021

  Comments in support of Colorado's 1332 waiver request and reinsurance program which will help stabilize the individual market in Colorado and protect patients and consumers.

• Letter RE Implementation of the No Surprises Act

  06/09/2021

  Letter to the Secreataries of the Department of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services making recommendations for implementation of the No Surprises Act which ensure clear and comprehensive protections for consumers.

• Comments RE: Virginia Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS) MOMS and FAMIS Select Section 1115 Amendment

  05/07/2021

  Comments supporting Virginia’s request to extend postpartum coverage from 60 days to twelve months

• Letter to Congressional Leadership RE: Patient Community Healthcare Priorities for to Improve Health Care Access

  04/23/2021

  Letter requesting that Congress take steps to address the affordability of health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs for patients,support Medicaid expansion, and protect consumers by restricting access to short-term limited duration insurance and other non-compliant plans.

• Letter to President Biden RE: Patient Community Healthcare Priorities for to Improve Health Care Access

  04/23/2021

  Letter requesting that the Biden Administration take steps to address the affordability of health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs for patients, and support Medicaid expansion. The letter also asks for collaboration with Congress to protect consumers by restricting access to short-term limited duration insurance and other non-compliant plans.

• Comments RE: Oklahoma SoonerCare 1115 Demonstration Amendment

  04/22/2021

  Comments opposing changes to Medicaid retroactive coverage policies and noting that the lack of hearings during the state comment process made meaningful comment difficult for many critical stakeholders.

• Comments to Congress Regarding Provisions of the Budget Reconciliation Pursuant to S. Con. Res. 5

  04/11/2021

  PPC sent a statement applauding the Energy and Commerce Committee for taking substantive steps to include policies in the reconciliation package that will positively impact patients and consumers.

• UNDER-COVERED: How “Insurance-Like” Products Are Leaving Patients Exposed

  03/25/2021

  Report compiling what is known about the most common kinds of non-compliant plans and making related recommendations for Congress, the administration and state leaders.

• Statement for the Record to Energy & Commerce for a hearing titled “Building on the ACA: Legislation to Expand Health Coverage and Lower Costs”

  03/22/2021

  Statement supporting policies which help consumers including: establishing federal reinsurance program to reduce premium costs for consumers, limiting the proliferation of short-term, limited-duration plans, strengthening and expanding outreach and enrollment resources for consumers, fixing the premium adjustment factor, strengthening network adequacy standards in the ACA marketplaces and beyond, expanding continuous eligibility and streamlining enrollment in Medicaid, strengthening the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and expanding access to care for historically marginalized communities, including by addressing Medicaid funding for the territories and strengthening the Indian Health Service.

• Statement for the Record to Energy and Commerce on Reconcilliation Priorities

  02/11/2021

  Statement in support of including policies to strengthen Medicaid coverage and mitigate costs associated with COVID-19 for patients and consumers

• Statement for the Record to Ways & Means on COVID-19 Relief Measures

  02/10/2021

  Statement in support of policies to ensure adeaute health insurance coverage in COVID-19 relief legislation

• Comment re: Arizona's 1115 Demonstration

  02/03/2021

  PPC wrote to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to request that HHS not approve the provisions related to work requirements and retroactive coverage for Arizona's Medicaid program.

• Comments Re: Georgia Postpartum Extension Section 1115 Demonstration Waiver

  01/22/2021

  Comments in support of extending Medicaid coverage to post-partum Georgians and identifying other more comprehensive action to improve access to care.

• Letter to Biden Admin Requesting Rescission of Medicaid Work Requirements Guidance

  01/08/2021

  Letter to Biden Admin requesting recsission of guidance (SMD 18-002) to state Medicaid programs regarding work and community engagement requirements which significantly harm access to care for patients, including those with serious and chronic health conditions.

• Comments RE Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2022

  12/28/2020

  Letter expressing concern with the approach the Administration has taken to many policies included in the NBPP for 2022, including the codification of the 2018 Section 1332 guidance, allowing states to eliminate the ACA Marketplace, and the broad expansion of direct enrollment and enhanced direct enrollment amongst others.

• Letter to Congressional Leadership Urging Passage of Surprise Medical Bill Legislation

  12/04/2020

  Letter urging Congress to pass legislation to comprehensively shield patients and consumers from surprise medical bills.

• Comments Re: Proposed Rule: Securing Updated and Necessary Statutory Evaluations Timely

  12/04/2020

  Comments urging withdrawal of this proposed rule as the truncated 30-day comment period was insufficient for its broad scope and potential harm. Additionally, the proposed forcing mechanism would disrupt the operation of healthcare programs including Medicaid, CHIP, and the Marketplace by creating regulatory uncertainty for stakeholders, and it would divert CMS resources from what should be the highest priority: ensuring that these programs respond effectively as possible to the pandemic.

• Letter to President Elect-Biden on Patient Priorities to Ensure Health Care is Adequate, Affordable, and Accessible

  11/23/2020

  Letter identifying priorities for administrative and legislative activities to protect the financial, physical, and mental health of the American people and ensure quality health insurance coverage is affordable and accessible.

• The 100 Days Agenda: A Patient-First Blueprint

  10/13/2020

  Blueprint identifying key priorities for elected officials to pursue in the first 100 days of their terms in 2021 to ensure health care is adequate, affordable, and accessible.

• Comments Re: Georgia 1332 Waiver Application

  09/18/2020

  Comments stating that Georgia's Access Model withholds access to quality and affordable healthcare coverage for thousands of patients with serious and chronic health conditions. While PPC supports Georgia’s reinsurance program, the letter nonetheless urges the Departments to reject the Georgia Access Model portion of this 1332 waiver application.

• Comments Re: Department of Health and Human Services Proposed Rule: Good Guidance Practices

  09/16/2020

  Comments supporting efforts to increase transparency and opportunities for meaningful public comment but urging withdrawal of the proposed rule since it could have unintended consequences on policies impacting healthcare coverage that could ultimately harm patients with serious and chronic health conditions.

• Letter to CMS Adminsitrator on Principles for Telehealth Policy

  09/11/2020

  Letter identifying PPC principles for evaluating telehealth legislative or regulatory policy efforts

• Comments Re: Renewal Request for the Florida Managed Medical Assistance Program Section 1115 Waiver

  09/11/2020

  Letter urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to reject waiver of retroactive eligibility requirements from Florida’s Section 1115 Demonstration Waiver Extension Application and require addition of details on evaluation

• Principles for Telehealth Policy

  08/27/2020

  Principles to increase patients' access to safe telehealth services during and after the COVID-19 public health emergency.

• Comments Re: Grandfathered Group Health Plans and Grandfathered Group Health Insurance Coverage Proposed Rule

  08/14/2020

  Comments opposing the proposal to award grandfathered group coverage new discretion to increase cost sharing for their enrollees while avoiding the application of the ACA’s core consumer protections.

• Comments RE: Internal Revenue Service Proposed Rule on Certain Medical Care Arra

  08/10/2020

  Letter opposing giving tax breaks for membership in an Health Care Sharing Ministries as these entities do not provide the same guaranteed financial protection as health insurance, are exempted from providing a robust baseline of services akin to the essential health benefits package mandated by the ACA, and are not regulated as insurance by any state.

• Letter to Congressional Leadership RE Patient Priorities for Future COVID-19 Relief Legislation

  07/28/2020

  Letter to Congress asking the House and Senate to work together to quickly pass legislation that ensures that the health care system has adequate capacity to provide necessary care to patients with pre-existing conditions and robustly addresses public health needs.

• Letter to Congressional Leadership RE Public Health Data Infrastructure

  07/27/2020

  Letter to congressional leadership requesting inclusion of additional funding in the next COVID-19 legislative package to modernize the public health data infrastructure which is needed to improve the collecting and reporting of data.

• Consensus Healthcare Reform Principles

  07/14/2020

  Statement on PPC's Principles for Healthcare Reform including that: Health Insurance Must be Affordable; Health Insurance Must be Accessible; and Health Insurance Must be Adequate and Understandable.

• Letter to HELP Committee Chair on How to Prepare for Next Pandemic

  06/26/2020

  Letter identifying strategies to prepare for future pandemics, including: expanding insurance coverage; incentivizing all states to expand Medicaid; increasing Medicaid stability; expanding advanced premium tax credits; adding a special enrollment period triggered by a public health emergency; limiting non-compliant plans; and ensure payment policies promote public health.

• Comments Re: Oklahoma SoonerCare 2.0 Application

  06/24/2020

  Comments urging CMS not to approve application because of harmful policies, including: restructuring Medicaid program into a per-capita cap model; waiving restroactive eligibility; increasing premiums and cost-sharing; adding work requirements; and reducing benefits.

• Comments RE: New Hampshire’s 1332 Waiver Application

  06/12/2020

  Comments supporting New Hampshire’s efforts to strengthen its marketplace by implementing a reinsurance program and urging approval of the application.

• Letter to Congressional Leadership Identifying Key Policies to Strengthen Medicaid During COVID-19 Pandemic

  05/26/2020

  Letter describing proposals to strengthen Medicaid, including: additional financial resources for States; financial incenstives to expand Medicaid; no-cost testing and treatment for COVID-19; additional funding for safety net providers; delay in fudning reductions ni CHIP; and halt to implementation of Medicaid fiscal accountability rule.

• Letter to White House Urging Action on Surprise Medical Bill Consistent with PPC Principles

  05/21/2020

  Letter urging inclusion of key principles in any legislation to protect patients from surprise medical bills.

• Letter to Congressional Leadership Asking for Inclusion of Policies to Protect Patients from Suprise Medical Bills In Next COVID-19 Legislative Package

  05/21/2020

  Letter urging inclusion of patient protections from surprise medical bills in fourth legislative package to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Letter to Congressional Leadership on Patient Priorities for Additional COVID-19 Relief Legislation

  04/14/2020

  Comments asking Congress to implement policies to improve insurance coverage, including: re-opening ACA marketplaces for 60 days; providing additional funding to state Medicaid programs; requiring coverage of COVID-19 services without cost sharing; incentivizing Medicaid expansion; restrict implementation of non-compliant plans like short-term limited-duration and association health plans; end suprise medical bills; and extension of subsidies for individuals who have lost employer sponsored coverage.

• Comments Re: Pennsylvania’s 1332 Waiver Application

  04/10/2020

  Comments supporting Pennsylvania’s efforts to strengthen its marketplace by implementing a reinsurance program and urging approval of the application.

• Letter to CMS Administrator Opposing Block Grants and Per Capita Caps in Medicaid

  03/09/2020

  Letter strongly opposing the use of block grants and per capita caps in the Medicaid program and urging the government to rescind block grant policies immediately.

• Comments RE: Georgia 1332 Waiver Application - Reinsurance

  03/06/2020

  Comments urging the government to approve Georgia’s reinsurance application under Section 1332.

• Comments RE: Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2021

  03/02/2020

  Comments expressing concern about several of the policies and changes in the proposed rule and their potential impact on the communities we represent and serve, including: removal of option for automatic re-enrollment in marketplace plans and the revised methodology to the premium adjustment percentage index.

• Comments RE: Georgia Pathways to Coverage 1115 Demonstration

  02/27/2020

  Comments asking the government to reject Georgia's Pathways program because of limitations on eligibility, additions of financial barriers, and reduced benefits in Medicaid.

• Surprise Medical Billing Principles

  02/24/2020

  Principles for legislation to meet to enable strong and swift action to protect patients and consumers from surprise medical bills

• Comments RE: Proposed Rule on Medicaid Program and the Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Regulation

  01/31/2020

  Comments asking the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to withdraw provisions in the proposed rule, including but not limited to, the changes to the standards for review and approval of state financing mechanisms (provider taxes, Intergovernmental Transfers, and Certified Public Expenditures), as well as supplemental payments. Instead, any final rule should focus solely on transparency by setting forth reasonable requirements for public reporting of information related to current state financing and supplemental payment arrangements.

• Comments RE: Nebraska Heritage Health Adult Expansion Demonstration

  01/17/2020

  Comments supporting Medicaid expansion in Nebraska but urging that retroactive eligibility remain in place, the governement to remove of tiered benefits and add an evaluation plan.