High Risk Pools essential component of future health insurance markets, says advocacy group Communicating for America

WASHINGTON, May 30, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 71% of respondents to a May 2012 survey by national advocacy group Communicating for America agree that state-based high risk pools for the medically uninsurable should continue to play an important role in future health insurance markets regardless of the Supreme Court's decision next month.

"Based on the results of our survey and more than 35 years of experience CA has with high risk pools, we believe that high risk pools will help stabilize future health insurance markets while at the same time ensuring that all Americans, including those in poor health who are in the greatest need of coverage, are guaranteed the right to purchase insurance if they are willing and able to pay for it," said CA President Wayne Nelson.

"If the Supreme Court rules that the individual mandate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional, but leaves in place the provisions restricting insurance companies from denying individuals based on preexisting conditions and requiring community rating of premiums, the result will unquestionably be significantly increased premiums in the individual market," said Nelson. "However, even if the Supreme Court upholds the entirety of the new health law, we believe that there will be a continual role for risk pools to stabilize premiums and reduce the likelihood of adverse selection in state-based exchanges. States should be allowed to continue their existing programs until the state-based exchanges have proven to be effective and affordable for individuals."

Communicating for America is a non-profit and non-partisan member-based organization that has a long history of support for common-sense solutions to help the medically uninsurable access health coverage through state high risk pools. In 1976, CA helped establish the first high risk pool in Minnesota, and CA has been involved with the development of risk pools in many of the 34 other states that have since developed high risk pools. In 1992, CA helped create the National Association of State Comprehensive Health Insurance Plans (NASCHIP) and has testified many times on the topic of private/public partnerships to reduce the number of Americans without health insurance.

For more information on CA's work in support of high risk pools and other issues, visit www.communicatingforAmerica.org or contact [email protected]

For More Information Wayne Nelson, President
(612) 819-4629

SOURCE Communicating for America