CA
Insurance Affordability The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), passed in March 2021, increased premium subsidies for those purchasing insurance through the ACA Marketplaces in addition to offering generous, zero-premium Marketplace plans to those who receive unemployment compensation.
They find that "72 percent of enrollees reported having no difficulty paying premiums, and 76 percent reported that out-of-pocket expenses did not affect their seeking of medical care."
Also, "although some
affordability problems remained in 2021, choosing subsidy-ineligible plans was associated with worse enrollee-reported affordability among those eligible for the most generous premium and cost-sharing subsidies."
These results suggest that ARPA expanded access to those insurance plans perceived as affordable, despite the fact that affordability concerns remained.
Supported by CVS Health and featuring health equity experts as they examine private-sector initiatives and responsibility to advance health equity, the series includes articles exploring private-sector efforts to challenge injustices in health care.
In the latest article in the series, Sinsi Hernández-Canciofrom the National Partnership for Women & Families argues employers can help raise the bar for reproductive health equity
This series will publish new articles through Friday, July 21.
Health Affairs is the leading peer-reviewedjournalat the intersection of health, health care, and policy. Published monthly by Project HOPE, the journal is available in print and online. Late-breaking
content is also found through healthaffairs.org, Health Affairs Today, and Health Affairs Sunday Update.
Project HOPE is a global health and humanitarian relief organization that places power in the hands of local health care workers to save lives across the globe. Project HOPE has published Health Affairs since 1981.
