Gov. John Hickenlooper unveiled a bipartisan plan today aimed at stabilizing the individual health insurance market. He and Republican Gov. John Kasich of Ohio spearheaded the effort.
The plan would keep the individual mandate in the affordable care act in place for now. It also asks the Trump administration to keep the current cost sharing reductions for health insurers. It would give insurers tax breaks for competing in underserved areas, and help those companies cover the costs of sick enrollees.
“What we’re recommending can go a long way to stabilizing these markets for the next couple of years and really allow us to look at other innovations and other better ways of doing things,” Hickenlooper said.
The governors of six other states have also signed onto the bipartisan health proposal. Hickenlooper is set to testify before Congress next week and acknowledges the plan could land on deaf ears as Congress focus on other topics such as the budget and tax reform.