Jan. 31 Atlantic Information Services Webinar Reviews the Impact of ‘3Rs’ Programs on Insurers

Washington, DC (PRWEB) January 22, 2013

When HHS finally issued details late last year on how the three risk-mitigation programs in the health reform law would work, the proposed rule answered a lot of questions. Despite the issuance of detailed proposed regulations, however, serious questions remain about how the programs will operate and how successful they can be in limiting adverse selection. On Jan. 31, a top health insurance actuary and an executive of a large Blues plan will explore the many implications of these complex programs, and make concrete suggestions about how best to prepare for them, in the latest webinar from Atlantic Information Services, Inc., “The Impact of ‘3Rs’ Programs on Insurers: How Big, How Soon, How to Prepare.”

The so-called “3Rs” (risk adjustment, risk corridors and reinsurance) programs represent the key mechanisms in the health reform law to stabilize insurance premiums beginning in 2014, when the start of exchanges — plus the end of benefit caps, pre-existing condition exclusions and most underwriting — virtually ensure there will be substantial adverse selection of beneficiaries. Commercial plans will need to assess the extent of the programs’ impact on the adverse selection of enrollees in order to determine how to account for the 3Rs in their premium setting. And to do that, they’ll need to carefully consider whether the three programs have sufficient funding, how the 3Rs interact with medical loss ratio and other reform requirements, and how to get the data they’ll need for the initiatives.

In this Jan. 31 webinar, David Tuomala, director of actuarial consulting for OptumInsight, and Scott Keefer, vice president of policy and legislative affairs for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, will give webinar attendees answers to the following questions:

• What key elements about the 3R programs remain unknown despite the proposed rule? How and when will they be resolved?
• What is the likely magnitude of each adjustment in the three programs? To what degree will they transfer risk?
• How can insurers predict the impact of the 3Rs on their books of business in order to adjust their rates appropriately?
• What effect will the reinsurance program have on premiums by market in 2014 and beyond? What major factors will influence this?
• How do the 3Rs interact with, and alter, the minimum medical loss ratio and rebate requirements in the health reform law?
• What is the likelihood there will be enough federal funding to pay for these programs? When and how will this be known?
• What specific steps can health plans take now to prepare for these programs?

For more details and registration information on “The Impact of ‘3Rs’ Programs on Insurers: How Big, How Soon, How to Prepare,” visit http://aishealth.com/marketplace/c3r05_013113.

About AIS
Atlantic Information Services, Inc. (AIS) is a publishing and information company that has been serving the health care industry for more than 25 years. It develops highly targeted news, data and strategic information for managers in hospitals, health plans, medical group practices, pharmaceutical companies and other health care organizations. AIS products include print and electronic newsletters, websites, looseleafs, books, strategic reports, databases, webinars and conferences. Learn more at http://www.AISHealth.com.

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