The federal government and states are scrambling now to create temporary high-risk pools for the medically uninsurable by July 1. As one of the first provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to go into effect, it will serve as a test case for implementation of the new law and it should be closely followed.
Some states with existing high risk pools are passing laws to ensure their programs comply with the new federal rules and are eligible for some of the $5 billion in federal funding. Other states are refusing to alter their programs and ceding responsibility to the federal government. But apart from being a policy story, it’s of great interest to all your readers, viewers or listeners who have pre-existing conditions and are struggling to find coverage.
AHCJ has asked some reporters covering the topic for story tips, suggestions and resources. We expect to add more tips and resources to this package as the story develops. If you have something to contribute, please send it to pia@healthjournalism.org.
By Mike Shields
Kansas Health Institute News Service
Covering high-risk pools
Tips from Victoria Colliver, San Francisco Chronicle
Tips from Sarah Varney, KQED Public Radio and The California Report
Tips from Dave Hage, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Tips from Mike Shields, Kansas Health Institute News Service
In an earlier feature on covering Health Policy, four journalists on the front lines offered their advice and suggestions on what needs to be covered next and how to approach this complex topic.
Recent coverage
Reform could mean end to state health care pool, Chen May Yee, Star Tribune
$5 Billion In Federal Funding For High-Risk Pools May Not Be Enough, Christopher Weaver, Kaiser Heatlh News
Health Policy Gets a High-Risk First Test, Evan George, Los Angeles Daily Journal (PDF posted with the permission of Daily Journal Corp. 2010)
New Health Law Expands High-Risk Coverage, Sarah Varney, KQED/The California Report
Health Policy may alter high-risk pools, Victoria Colliver, San Francisco Chronicle
Governor vows to implement health care reforms, Victoria Colliver, San Francisco Chronicle
California gung ho on health care law, Carolyn Lochhead, San Francisco Chronicle
States begin considering high-risk pool provisions of Health Policy, Mike Shields, KHI News Service
High-risk patients may be stuck paying high rates , Carla Johnson, AP medical writer
States Must Decide On Joining High-Risk Pools, Julie Rovner, NPR
McCain’s Health Plan Focuses On High-Risk Pools, Julie Rovner, NPR
States Must Decide On Joining High-Risk Pools, Julie Rovner, NPR
The First Test Of New Health Law: Covering Hard-To-Insure People, Mary Agnes Carey, Kaiser Health News
Health-care law will alter high-risk pool, but just how hasn’t been worked out, Carol Ostrom, The Seattle Times
State OK’s fed health plan for those in high-risk pool, Carol Ostrom, The Seattle Times
Resources
Department of Health and Human Services: Next Steps in High-Risk Pool Program
Kaiser Family Foundation
• State High Risk Pool Programs and Enrollment, December 2008
• Fact sheet on the temporary federal high-risk pool
National Conference of State Legislatures
National Association of Health Underwriters
National Association of State Comprehensive Health Insurance Plans
 Mike Shields |
If you’re in a state with an existing high-risk pool, like Kansas, the new federal pool will be more generous and affordable, though probably still too costly to help a lot of people.
Persons anywhere already enrolled in a more expensive state pool essentially will be stuck there because the new risk pools will only be available to people who have gone six months without coverage.
Kansas officials say they most likely will operate two, parallel pools: The federal pool and the existing state pool.
Seems like a lot of extra red tape for a program that is meant to be stop-gap until 2014. But so far there doesn’t seem to be a solution for that apart from some relatively quick syncing with federal law by state legislatures, which is unlikely in Kansas and maybe elsewhere.
