Insurers Caught Off Guard By Feds’ Freeze Of ACA ‘Sickness’ Payments

In a weekend announcement, the Trump administration said it’s freezing payments under an Affordable Care Act program aimed at protecting insurers who have sicker patients from financial losses.

Alex Brandon / Associated Press file

Just when the insurance market was looking calmer for the exchange in Georgia and other states, another event has shaken things up.

In a weekend announcement, the Trump administration said it’s freezing payments under an Affordable Care Act program aimed at protecting insurers who have sicker patients from financial losses.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said a federal court ruling that was handed down in February would force it to suspend what are known as risk-adjustment payments, worth about $10.4 billion for 2017.