PolicyEngine / PolicyEngine/policyengine-us

State marketplace premium wraps (Covered CT, ConnectorCare, …) not modeled

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Dominant language
Python
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Merged PRs (30d)
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Description

**Observed** (API, 2026): a single adult in Connecticut at $23,000 (≈147% FPL) is charged `spm_unit_medical_out_of_pocket_expenses` of $907 (net marketplace premium). The Covered Connecticut Program gives $0 premium coverage up to 175% FPL. Same household in Massachusetts: $907, where ConnectorCare's lowest tier is $0 premium through 150% FPL. Comparable state premium wraps exist in Vermont, New Jersey, New Mexico, Washington, and Colorado.

**Cause**: state affordability wraps for marketplace enrollees are not modeled, so the Medicaid → marketplace step is overstated by the full net federal premium in exactly the states that have chosen to close it.

**Expected**: model the state wraps (at least the $0-premium tiers) or expose a per-state flag so downstream tools can caveat the step.

**Repro**: single adult age 30, `employment_income` 23000, `state_name` CT (and MA), requesting `spm_unit_medical_out_of_pocket_expenses` and `premium_tax_credit`.

Sources: Access Health CT, Covered Connecticut Program — https://www.accesshealthct.com/covered-ct-program/ · Massachusetts Health Connector, ConnectorCare — https://www.mahealthconnector.org/connectorcare

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Start with the API reproduction using a single adult age 30, employment_income 23000, and state_name CT or MA, requesting spm_unit_medical_out_of_pocket_expenses and premium_tax_credit. Read the Covered Connecticut and ConnectorCare sources, then determine how the named state wraps should be represented. Done means the affected marketplace premium steps reflect at least the $0-premium tiers, or expose a per-state caveat flag, with comparable states considered.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
backend
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Active
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
48/100

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