Divided And Shunted To The Sidelines, Insurance Industry Loses Voice In Health Care Debate
Some insurers have decided a low-key role is best, but others are frustrated that their concerns aren't being heard. In other news, outlets look at what consumers could expect to pay under the Republicans' health care plan, the effect it would have on jobs and the amount of support the legislation has in Missouri and Kansas.
The Wall Street Journal:
Insurers Take Low-Key Approach In Health-Law Debate
Nearly every health group has taken a stand on the Republican legislation to overhaul the Affordable Care Act, but a split among insurance companies, who are arguably most central to the overhaul, has prevented the industry and its powerful lobby from picking a side in the debate. The divisions, along with a desire to remain involved in the negotiations, have quieted an industry that had a vocal role in shaping the ACA. (Hackman, 6/14)
The Associated Press:
Gov't Report: Health Care Deductibles Higher Under GOP Bill
President Donald Trump promised to make health care more affordable but a government report finds that out-of-pocket costs — deductibles and copayments — would average 61 percent higher under the House Republican bill. And even though the sticker price for premiums would be lower than under Obama-era law, what consumers pay would actually go up on average because government financial assistance would be reduced. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 6/15)
The Fiscal Times:
The GOP Health Care Plan Could Wipe Out Nearly A Million Jobs: Study
The American Health Care Act passed by the House of Representatives could be a serious job killer. If the bill were to pass the Senate in its current form (the Senate is working on its version of the bill in secret so it’s hard to say just how different the Senate version is), the economy would lose 924,000 jobs over the next decade, according to a new report from George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health and the Commonwealth Fund. (Braverman, 6/14)
KCUR:
Analysis: Less Than A Third Of Missourians And Kansans Support House Health Care Act
Just 31 percent of Kansans and 32 percent of Missourians support the House-approved bill to repeal Obamacare, according to new estimates published Wednesday in The New York Times. In fact, not one state has a majority of residents who are for the measure, with support ranging from a low of 22 percent in Massachusetts (Washington, D.C., is even lower at 16 percent) to a high of 38 percent in Oklahoma, according to the estimates. (Margolies, 6/14)
