While HIP currently covers 42,000 Indiana residents, under the expansion proposal, roughly 350,000 additional residents would gain coverage. However, the federal waiver for HIP expires at the end of 2014, and the state did not submit a waiver to extend HIP into next year.
According to the report, one of the issues still being debated is the state’s proposal that all customers with the HIPPlus plan — which expands medical, dental and vision coverage — must pay a fee, ranging from $3 to $25, to a health savings account every month.
Another area of contention that is holding up HIP 2.0 passage is Indiana’s suggestion to charge $25 to participants who visit emergency rooms for non-emergencies.
If the disputes are settled soon, enrollment can begin at the beginning of 2015. If not, Indiana will have passed up about $17 billion in federal funds and a growing number of residents will be without coverage.
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