Healthcare Leaders Praise Progress, Bipartisanship in Efforts to Stabilize Individual Health Insurance Marketplace

WASHINGTON – An alliance of leading healthcare companies from all health sectors today applauded bipartisan efforts to develop legislation that would help to bring much-needed stability to the individual health insurance marketplace, adding that the agreement reached by leaders of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee should be viewed as an important first step toward creating a market that is both affordable and sustainable.

“Without action, those who purchase coverage in the individual marketplace are facing significant cost increases and the risk of fewer coverage options,” said Mary R. Grealy, president of the Healthcare Leadership Council.  “We are pleased to see bipartisan cooperation and congratulate Senators (Lamar) Alexander (R-TN) and (Patty) Murray (D-WA) on the progress they have made.  Ensuring the continuation of cost-sharing reduction payments and granting states greater flexibility in managing their own insurance markets are important steps toward marketplace improvement and stabilization.”

Ms. Grealy said her organization is advocating additional steps necessary to strengthen the individual health insurance market, including a viable and appropriately-funded reinsurance program, a premium tax credit that is workable for low-income families not eligible for Medicaid, sensible continuous coverage requirements, and increased flexibility for health savings accounts.