Publications by Elliot Wicks for Health Policy Center

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The role envisioned for the Roadmap purchasing pool bears a strong resemblance to the role played by other large pools. But it goes beyond that because of the pool's responsibility to serve as the source of coverage for tax credit recipients and to administer those tax credits. The pool also functions as part of a financing system that includes an employer play-or-pay requirement and an individual mandate. Thus, while some lessons can be learned about how to implement a pool from the experience of other pools, the Roadmap pool would provide new lessons for other pools that might follow. (www.roadmaptocoverage.com, October 7, 2005)

This paper discusses the implementation of the fourth building block of the Roadmap--the public reinsurance provided to insurers who cover small employer groups and individuals in Massachusetts. Government funded reinsurance would repay insurers for 75% of an insured's allowable costs above $35,000 per year for enrollees in the nongroup market and in firms with fewer than 100 workers. The reinsurance would apply to all coverage sold, whether through the pool or outside. The paper describes the proposed public reinsurance, compares and contrasts it with other forms of reinsurance, and details the key steps to be taken in practical implementation. (www.roadmaptocoverage.com, October 7, 2005)

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