Private Insurance--Publications

Private Insurance: Publications

Expiration of COBRA Subsidy: Millions of Unemployed Workers and Their Dependents Are at Risk; Many Will Lose Their Subsidy as of December 1, 2009 provides state-specific data on what will happen to family COBRA premiums when the subsidy ends, and it argues for extending the COBRA assistance. 7 pp. Print copies free (December 2009)

Your Medical Bills: A Consumer's Guide to Coping with Medical Debt covers steps for paying your medical bills, understanding your rights, and other information you need to know if you are struggling with medical debt. The guide also includes links to many useful online resources. 19 pp. Print copies free | Fact Sheet | State Protections (November 2009)

Senate Amendment on Wellness Program Surcharges Jeopardizes Access to Affordable Coverage and Care describes the concerns with an amendment under consideration in the Senate health reform bill that would allow employers and insurers to charge heath insurance enrollees larger surcharges for failing to meet "wellness" plan goals than are currently allowed. 2 pp. Print copies free (October 2009)

Help for Small Businesses discusses how small businesses face a disadvantage when it comes to providing health insurance and how health reform will help remedy this situation. 3 pp. Print copies free (October 2009)

Health Coverage in the States: How Will Health Reform Help? analyzes how the House health reform bill, America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, would address many of the gaps and problems in the health care systems of specific states. 8 pp. Print copies free (September-October 2009)

The Essential Benefits Package in the House Health Reform Bill (H.R. 3200) examines the proposed benefits package for the plans in the exchange, discusses the benefits committee and its responsibilities, and outlines issues that advocates should monitor as health reform moves forward. 6 pp. Print copies free (September 2009)

Bridging the Gap: How Health Reform Will Help 55-to 64-Year-Olds discusses how the health reform legislation currently before Congress will make insurance more available and affordable for 55- to 64-year-olds and provide coverage stability for this age group. 6 pp. Print copies free (September 2009)

Got health insurance? Think you don't need reform? Think Again! discusses five ways that health reform will help insured people. 1 p. Print copies free (August 2009)

Costly Coverage: Premiums Outpace Paychecks examines how the combination of stagnant wages and skyrocketing health insurance costs is placing a growing strain on family budgets. These state-specific reports show how health insurance premiums for families and individuals have risen over the last decade compared to earnings. 13 pp. Print copies $5.00 (August 2009)

Understanding the Role of the "Exchange" or "Gateway" discusses the new health insurance marketplace, or exchange, that is being developed in national health reform proposals. This short piece looks at how an exchange would work and how it could help middle-class and low-income families find and keep the affordable, quality health care they deserve. 4 pp. Print copies free. (July 2009)

The Clock Is Ticking: More Americans Losing Health Coverage provides the first ever state-by-state data on the number of people who may lose health coverage between the beginning of 2008 and the end of 2010. Numbers are broken down per week, per month, and per year. 5 pp. Print copies $5.00 (July 2009)

What Is a "Special Enrollment Opportunity" and Why Should I Care about It? discusses who may have the option of signing up for job-based health coverage when it isn't open season. 4 pp. Print copies free. (June 2009)

Why Employers Should Share the Responsibility of Paying for Health Care discusses five reasons why it makes sense to require employers to contribute to the cost of health coverage, known as an "employer responsibility requirement." 3 pp. Print copies free. (June 2009)

Investing in Health Coverage: It Just Makes Sense explores four key reasons why we all have a stake in making sure everyone has health coverage. 4 pp. Print copies free. (June 2009)

Hidden Health Tax: Americans Pay a Premium discusses how private health insurance premiums are higher, in part, because the costs of uncompensated care for the uninsured are shifted to those who have insurance, a "hidden health tax." The report quantifies this "tax" for family and individual coverage. 32 pp. Print copies $10.00 (May 2009)

CoverTN, Tennessee's Barebones Health Plan: A Case Study uses Tennessee's barebones health plan as an example to examine how limited-benefit plans fail to meet the health coverage needs of consumers. 16 pp. Print copies free. (May 2009)

Too Great a Burden: Americans Face Rising Health Care Costs reveals how many Americans face very high health care costs and shows the magnitude of the health care cost crisis. The report provides data on how many people are in families that will spend more than 10 percent or 25 percent of their pre-tax income on health care in 2009. 30 pp. Print copies $15.00 (April 2009)

Health Care Must Be Affordable for All Families, Regardless of Income presents crucial arguments for why health reform must ensure that health care is truly affordable. It proposes placing reasonable limits on out-of-pocket costs and providing subsidies, especially for those with low and moderate incomes. 2 pp. Print copies free (April 2009)

States Act to Help People Laid Off from Small Firms: More Needs to Be Done discusses how, in response to pressure from advocates, some states are taking steps toward passing "mini-COBRA" laws to help laid off workers from small firms get the federal subsidy guaranteed through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). 8 pp. Print copies free. (April 2009)

Have health insurance? Think you're well protected? Think Again! This one-page fact sheet provides quick stats on how health care expenses overwhelm even insured working families, forcing many into bankruptcy. 1 p. Free (Updated March 2009)

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: House Bill Health Coverage Provisions for the Unemployed Are Essential describes key differences in the health coverage provisions in the Senate and House versions of the economic recovery package, namely temporary Medicaid for unemployed workers and COBRA subsidies, and explains why the House provisions are crucial for helping unemployed workers and their families keep health coverage. 2 pp. Print copies free. (February 2009)

Protecting Unemployed Workers' Health Coverage: What States Can Do discusses how states can help unemployed workers keep or obtain health coverage during these turbulent economic times. 16 pp. Free (January 2009)

Squeezed! Caught between Unemployment Benefits and Health Care Costs examines COBRA coverage and unemployment benefits and finds that, to maintain their employer-based coverage under COBRA, most unemployed workers would have to devote an unrealistically high proportion of their unemployment check to health insurance. 13 pp. Print copies $10.00 (January 2009)

The Hidden Link: Health Costs and Family Economic Insecurity examines the crisis in family health care costs and shows why it will be impossible to restore family economic security without health reform that achieves quality, affordable coverage for all. 5 pp. Print copies $2.00 (January 2009)

Limited-Benefit Plans: Expanding Coverage or Holding Your State Back? examines the negative effects of limited-benefit insurance plans (also known as "barebones" or "mandate-lite" plans) based on how these plans have fared in some states. This brief also discusses how advocates can respond to limited-benefit proposals in their states. 8 pp. Free (October 2008)

Failing Grades: Illinois Fails to Protect Consumers in the Individual Health Insurance Market focuses the broader discussion of inadequate consumer protections for the individual market on Illinois, examining how the state falls short in protecting consumers, leaving them vulnerable to insurance company abuse. The report also includes recommendations for reforms needed in the private market. 28 pp. Free (September 2008)

Premiums versus Paychecks: A Growing Burden for Workers: Throughout the first eight years of the new millennium, health care costs have skyrocketed, while working families’ wages have stood still, putting a significant strain on family budgets. This series of state-by-state reports, which are based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services, examine what these trends mean for working families. (September-October 2008)

An Unequal Burden: The True Cost of High-Deductible Health Plans for Communities of Color discusses the full costs associated with high-deductible health plans and why these expenses are disproportionately unaffordable for racial and ethnic minorities. It also examines several myths about health savings accounts (HSAs), which are often coupled with such health plans. 12 pp. Free (September 2008)

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