Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Automatic Re-Enrollment Could Leave Customers On Hook To Pay Thousands For Plans They Don't Want
The New York Times: An Obamacare Surprise In The Mail: New Insurers And New Costs
Meg and Robert Holub were surprised to receive a letter last week welcoming them to a new health insurance plan and telling them to pay $3,483 by Jan. 8. “We have received your application for individual and family coverage effective 1/1/2018,” the letter said. The only problem: They never applied for the coverage, did not want it and could not afford it. “I worried, did someone hack my account to sign me up for this?” Mr. Holub said. “And I wondered, what are the implications if I don’t pay for this plan? Will I be hounded by a credit agency?” (Pear, 12/11)
The Associated Press: Some Glitches Seen In Deadline Week For 'Obamacare' Sign-Ups
Consumer advocates reported some glitches Monday in the final days for "Obamacare" sign-ups, although the Trump administration largely seemed to be keeping its promise of a smooth enrollment experience. In Illinois, some consumers who successfully completed an application for financial assistance through HealthCare.gov got a message saying they would likely be eligible to buy a health plan, "but none are available to you in your area." (Alonso-Zaldivar, 12/11)
The Hill: Obama Urges ObamaCare Signups Ahead Of Deadline
Former President Barack Obama on Monday urged people to sign up for ObamaCare ahead of Friday’s deadline and denounced Republican efforts to roll back the law. Obama joined a call with navigators and volunteers who help people sign up for coverage under the law, his office said, and made an appeal on Twitter and Facebook. (Sullivan, 12/11)
The Hill: Ex-CMS Staffer Buoys ObamaCare
Since leaving the administration, [Lori] Lodes and other Democrats have come to believe that the Trump administration is actively working to sabotage the Affordable Care Act and health coverage gains made under Obama. The White House has moved to shorten ObamaCare’s enrollment period, cut its advertising budget by 90 percent and reduced by 41 percent funding for outside groups assisting with sign-ups — all while pushing Congress to repeal and replace the law. (Roubein, 12/12)
Tampa Bay Times: Record Numbers Are Signing Up For Obamacare In Florida As Enrollment Period Draws To A Close
In week five of the six-week open enrollment period, about 823,180 people signed up for health insurance on healthcare.gov, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. More than 3.6 million people have enrolled on the federal exchange for health insurance plans in 2018 since open enrollment began on Nov. 1. (Griffin, 12/12)
Kaiser Health News: Sign-Up Deadline Is Friday, But Some People May Get Extra Time
Open enrollment on the federal health law’s marketplace ends Friday, and most people who want a plan for next year need to meet the deadline. But some consumers who miss the cutoff could be surprised to learn they have the opportunity to enroll later. “While a lot of people will be eligible … I am still worried that a lot of consumers won’t know it,” said Shelby Gonzales, a senior policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (Andrews, 12/12)
Richmond Times-Dispatch: ACA Marketplace Enrollment Ends Friday; Navigator Program Encourages Consumers To Sign Up Sooner Rather Than Later
Open enrollment for plans on the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace will come to an abrupt end at midnight Friday, and the director of Virginia’s statewide navigation program is urging stragglers to sign up as soon as possible. (O'Connor, 12/11)
Nashville Tennessean: How Risky Is It Not To Have Coverage At Vanderbilt?
Nashville consumers have two carrier options for individual ACA plans in 2018 — Cigna and Oscar Health — but only Cigna offers coverage at Vanderbilt. Does every consumer need to be covered at the city’s academic medical center? Realistically, no. Some consumers may have no healthcare needs next year, or only very basic needs that do not require going to Vanderbilt. (Tolbert, 12/11)
