February 21, 2022
Payers
  • States with public option health plans are incorporating ways of forcing hospitals to participate to ensure they can build a sufficient network. Many have learned from Washington State, which found that, after two years, plans were available in only 25 of the state’s 39 counties because of poor hospital participation. Effective next year, the state will implement a mandate that hospitals contract with a public-option plan if public-option plans aren’t available in each county. Colorado and Nevada, which are implementing public-option plans for 2023 and 2026, respectively, have already incorporated ways of forcing hospitals to participate. And other states considering a public option — including Connecticut, Oregon, New Jersey, and New Mexico — are likely to follow suit. (Article here)