Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
ACA Outreach Cutbacks, Shorter Enrollment Window Likely To Hurt Vulnerable Populations
The New York Times: A Last Push For Obamacare Sign-Ups — And Worries About Who Got Hurt
Denise English was one of just two employees working six days a week to handle the crowd of people signing up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act at a neighborhood health clinic here, as the Friday deadline for open enrollment loomed. Most of the people who sat waiting wanted to speak to her co-worker, who speaks Spanish. But Ms. English — she speaks only “un poquito” — was doing her best, her phone open to Google Translate, as she tried to help clients like Ana Gonzalez and Celso Morales, who moved here from Puerto Rico in April, sign up for a subsidized health plan. (Zernike and Pear, 12/15)
The Washington Post: Americans Sprint To Get Affordable Care Act Coverage In Last Hours Before Deadline
Consumers jammed call centers and enrollment offices in the final sprint toward the Friday deadline in most of the country to get Affordable Care Act health plans for 2018, defying months of naysaying by President Trump about the law’s insurance marketplaces. In several states, enrollment helpers reported a crush of interest in recent days. Some navigator organizations, which help people sign up, received more requests for appointments than they could accommodate — a consequence of an enrollment season that is half as long as the past three years’ time frame and large cuts by federal officials in grants to those groups. (Goldstein, 12/15)
The Wall Street Journal: Affordable Care Act Sign-Ups Bump Up, But Still Fewer Expected This Year
The end of open enrollment under the Affordable Care Act Friday saw an uptick in people selecting health plans, but with a shorter window this year’s sign-ups are still expected to fall short of last year’s, an outcome that could further imperil the fragile individual insurance market. Less robust sign-ups on the federal health exchange are likely to lead to higher premiums and bolster critics who say that the law is failing. Supporters say the enrollment pace has defied expectations, given that the Trump administration shortened the sign-up window and cut millions of dollars in outreach funding. (Armour, 12/15)
The Associated Press: Sign-Ups Show Health Law's Staying Power In Trump Era
A deadline burst of sign-ups after a tumultuous year for the Obama health law has revealed continued demand for the program's subsidized individual health plans. But the Affordable Care Act's troubles aren't over. On the plus side for the overhaul, official numbers showed a sizable share of first-time customers, 36 percent, were among those rushing to finish HealthCare.gov applications in the run-up to Friday's enrollment deadline. One new challenge comes from the GOP tax bill, which repeals the law's requirement that people have health insurance or risk fines. (12/18)
CQ: State Outreach Efforts Pay Off In Health Coverage Enrollment
States and insurance companies ramped up outreach for health coverage enrollment this year to fill the gap left by a drastic funding cut by the Trump administration. In many places, the hard work is showing. A recent study by the Wesleyan Media Project showed an overall spike in advertising this open enrollment season, a surprise given the Department of Health and Human Services’ decision to slash federal funds for marketing by 90 percent and in-person outreach by 41 percent. (Clason, 12/15)
The Hill: Trump Officials Decline To Extend ObamaCare Sign-Up Deadline
The Trump administration declined to extend the ObamaCare sign-up period amid the last-minute surge of enrollees, a break with the precedent set under the Obama administration. The enrollment period ended Friday at midnight. The Obama administration in previous years consistently extended the deadline for a few days to accommodate the high number of enrollees who wait until the last minute to enroll. (Sullivan, 12/16)
The Associated Press: Health Law Sign-Up Deadline Extended For Some People
After a rush of last-minute sign-ups, the Trump administration says it's extending the deadline for some people to finish health insurance applications for next year under the Affordable Care Act. Callers to the HealthCare.gov service center on Saturday morning got a recorded message saying "don't worry" — if they'd called and left their phone number before the deadline, they'll get a call back and still can enroll for 2018. (12/16)
Houston Chronicle: Harvey Victims Get 2 Weeks More To Buy Obamacare Plans
Enrollment for 2018 health insurance through the Affordable Care Act ended Friday for most people, but Texans affected by Hurricane Harvey will get two extra weeks to sign up. People in Houston and a wide swath of storm-affected areas will be able to enroll for plans on the federally mandated exchange through Dec. 31. But advocates caution that applying after Friday can be cumbersome. (Deam, 12/15)
