Carol Calhoun was quoted in Benefits News on October 13, 2017, about the White House's executive order proposing changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). According to the article, employer groups cheered this decision as a potentially positive move for business, but many unanswered questions remain as to the practical implications of the order and whether past abuses will resurface.
The memorandum from President Donald J. Trump, signed Thursday, directs regulators to look into reforms for expanding access to healthcare through association health plans, short-term, limited-duration insurance for individuals, and health reimbursement arrangements.
Calhoun says that while the approach potentially gives small employers more choice, it’s not yet clear how successful the effort will be. It’s not known, for example, whether more associations are going to want to participate if the rules are relaxed.
"It's one more option for small employers to look at — and the question is how available is it going to become," she says.
The memorandum from President Donald J. Trump, signed Thursday, directs regulators to look into reforms for expanding access to healthcare through association health plans, short-term, limited-duration insurance for individuals, and health reimbursement arrangements.
Calhoun says that while the approach potentially gives small employers more choice, it’s not yet clear how successful the effort will be. It’s not known, for example, whether more associations are going to want to participate if the rules are relaxed.
"It's one more option for small employers to look at — and the question is how available is it going to become," she says.