Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Releases Proposals For Congress To Strengthen Health Law Marketplace
Modern Healthcare: Blues Association Hopes To Convince Congress To Stabilize ACA Exchanges
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association wants to resurrect congressional efforts to stabilize the Affordable Care Act's exchanges by boosting tax subsidies and cost-sharing payments. The association, which represents more than 30 Blues plans across the U.S., released a legislative proposal on Thursday to boost subsidies for ACA exchange customers to entice younger people to sign up on the exchanges and help customers that earn too much to get a subsidy. The proposal would also install a reinsurance program, resume reimbursements to insurers of cost-sharing reduction payments and further delay the ACA's health insurance tax. (King, 2/28)
Modern Healthcare: Likely Return Of The Health Insurance Tax To Impact MA Profits
Congress appears unlikely to delay the health insurance tax next year. If that happens, Medicare Advantage plans would see the biggest impact, analysts and insurers say. On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers introduced a suspension of the tax, known as the HIT, through 2021. The tax was in place for 2018, suspended in 2019 and is due to take effect again in 2020. (Luthi and Livingston, 2/28)
The Wall Street Journal: CVS Names Chief Information Officer To Lead Aetna Integration
CVS Health Corp. has tapped a new chief information officer tasked with integrating its information technology and data with IT systems used by Aetna Inc., which the drugstore chain acquired last year in a $70 billion deal. Roshan Navagamuwa, who over the past year served as interim CIO, was named CIO and executive vice president of the combined health-industry giant, leading all areas of technology operations and innovation, according to a statement provided by the company. The move is effective immediately. (Loten, 2/28)
