AMA recommends ways to improve affordability in the health exchanges

CHICAGO — Building on the progress of almost 12 million Americans having enrolled in coverage offered through health insurance exchanges this year, the American Medical Association endorsed policies that aim to increase that number while taking steps to make health insurance on the exchanges more affordable.

Premium increases are being announced at the state level for the 2019 plan year, though 83 percent of consumers who buy coverage through exchanges receive subsidies to lower their premiums and will be shielded from such increases because their premium contributions are pegged to a defined percentage of their income. At its Annual Meeting, the AMA supported the policy of extending eligibility for these premium subsidies to individuals and families with incomes up to 500 percent of the federal poverty line ($60,700 for an individual), allowing more people to afford and obtain health insurance coverage. Under the ACA, eligible individuals and families with incomes between 100 and 400 percent ($48,560 for an individual) of the federal poverty line are being provided with refundable and advanceable tax credits to purchase coverage on health insurance exchanges.