Governor Bullock, Department of Administration Director John Lewis and the Montana Health Care Foundation will host a small group conversation with Montana’s health plans, providers and patient advocates to review data that tells us about how a Montana reinsurance program could help lower insurance premiums in Montana and provide stability to Montana’s insurance markets.

The individual health insurance market it is a critical safety net covering 8% of Montanans--often the self-employed, entrepreneurs, early retirees, small business owners, and employees of small employers who do not offer coverage. While recent federal actions to defund cost-sharing reductions and weaken other consumer protections and stability infrastructure have continued to drive up premiums in Montana and other states, some states are looking at state reinsurance programs as a potential solution.

To help Montanans have an informed, data-driven conversation about how a reinsurance program could help lower premiums and maintain competition and consumer choice in Montana, the Montana Health Care Foundation has contracted with legal and actuarial experts to analyze Montana’s individual insurance market data who will speak about their work to date. In addition, as part of a multi-state effort to help states evaluate and respond to federal health reform efforts, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices will share insights from other states and facilitate the meeting. 

Conversation about Stabilizing Montana’s Health Insurance Market with Reinsurance

July 23, 2018

Montana Capital Building, Room 317

Helena, Montana

10:00am-2:00pm

Lunch for conversation participants will be served. The meeting will also be open to the public for comment and streamed on the legislative information system. http://montanalegislature.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=94

Conversation participants include (invited):

Jace Killsback, Jessica Windy Boy, Teresa Wall-McDonald, Cindy Stergar, Kris  Hansen, Dick  Brown, Tim  Summers, Jean Bransum, Deb Swingley, Matt  Kuntz, Mike Batista, Kim Abbott, Sarah Howell, Laura Terrill, Nick Hart, Kristin Page-Nei, Mary McNally, Casey Scrheiner, Walt Sales, Matt Regier, Richard Miltenberger, Monica Berner, John Doran, Todd  Lovshin, Ali Bovingdon, John Lewis, Tressie White, Ryan Evans, Amber Conger, Jess Rhoades