The Biden administration's proposal to limit the duration of short-term health plans to three months could lead to an increase in the uninsured rate, as Thompson Coburn health care partner Mackenzie Wallace discussed in a recent interview with Healthcare Finance News.
Wallace covers how this limitation could have significant implications for hospitals and health systems, particularly in cases involving denied claims. Some individuals, such as those actively job-hunting and expecting to regain coverage in three months, may unexpectedly find themselves without insurance, she noted. This is especially relevant to younger adults, unemployed individuals and those with limited incomes, who are more vulnerable to being uninsured or underinsured. The result for health care providers is that they pay for uncompensated care.
In Texas, the uninsured rate is 18 percent of the state's population, which is 1.7 times the national average, and Wallace noted that limiting the length of coverage could further impact the underinsured and uninsured population in the state.
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