Tag: State Innovation

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Concerns Raised by ‘Georgia Access’ 1332 Waiver Application

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By Matthew B. Lawrence and Haley Gintis

Georgia has applied to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for a waiver under the Affordable Care Act that would allow it to reshape its private health insurance marketplace.

HHS is accepting comments on the application through September 23, 2020. Commenters so far have raised various issues, including concerns about how the waiver would, if granted, impact access to treatment for mental illness and behavioral health conditions such as substance use disorder.

This blog post summarizes the revised waiver in Part I, changes from the original in Part II, and recent comments about its desirability in Part III.

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Third Time’s a Charm: Georgia’s 1332 Waiver Application

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By Abe Sutton

The Georgia Access Model

Georgia's waiver presents a pathway for other states
Other states can follow Georgia’s lead in pursuing innovative 1332 waivers to encourage choice and competition. “A Pathway to Heaven” by ^riza^ is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

In December 2019, Georgia applied for a state relief and empowerment waiver available under Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Section 1332 lets states alter select ACA requirements to find the approach that is right for their state and encourage insurance coverage innovation. Georgia has released two prior versions of this waiver proposal; the state’s most recent revision to its 1332 waiver application offers a new vision for the individual market and a potential roadmap for other states. The innovation, the Georgia Access Model, accompanies the now-traditional reinsurance component included in prior 1332 waivers.

The Georgia Access Model shifts Georgia off of healthcare.gov. It instead opts for a decentralized enrollment system that makes plans available through the commercial market. Georgia argues this will increase individual market enrollment and reduce premiums. In this piece, I address some criticisms of the model and present an argument for approving Georgia’s waiver.

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