Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
First Edition: February 25, 2015
Kaiser Health News: Kaiser Permanente Faulted Again For Mental Health Care Lapses In California
For the second time in two years, the state of California has faulted HMO giant Kaiser Permanente for failing to provide patients with appropriate access to mental health care. Some Kaiser patients still have to wait weeks or even months to see a therapist or psychiatrist, which violates state laws intended to ensure timely access to mental health treatment, the state Department of Managed Health Care said in a report released Tuesday. (Gold, 2/25)
The New York Times: Congress Is Told Ruling Against Health Law Would Impact Poor
The Obama administration told Congress on Tuesday that it had no plans to help low- and moderate-income people if the Supreme Court ruled against the administration and cut off health insurance subsidies for millions of Americans. Sylvia Mathews Burwell, the secretary of health and human services, said a court decision against the administration would do “massive damage” that could not be undone by executive action. (Pear, 2/24)
The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire: Burwell: Administration Has ‘No Plans’ If Court Throws Out Health Tax Credits
Supporters and opponents of the challenge agree that if the court abruptly rules the credits invalid, the impact on the law would be considerable. That is where the consensus ends. Supporters say this disruption is a reason the court should uphold the tax credits. Opponents maintain the Obama administration is being irresponsible by refusing to detail solutions. “This letter is clear and it is consequential. If the Supreme Court rules against the administration, President Obama does not have the authority to use administrative actions to undo the decision,” said [Sen. John] Barrasso, who is one of three Senate Republicans tasked by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell with shaping a GOP replacement plan if the court sides with the challengers in the case. “Republicans are preparing for the ruling and are committed to helping the millions of Americans who have been hurt by the White House’s decision to illegally implement Obamacare.” (Radnofsky, 2/24)
The Associated Press: Administration: No Quick Fix If Court Kills Health Subsidies
The letter from Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell continued the administration's tough stance in its building confrontation with Republican lawmakers in advance of an expected Supreme Court decision in June. In that case, conservatives and Republicans argue that Obama's 2010 health care law only provides government subsidies for people buying health coverage through marketplaces established by the states. Just 13 states established their own marketplaces, while the remaining 37 use the federal government's HealthCare.gov. (Fram, 2/24)
The New York Times: Erroneous HealthCare.gov Tax Forms Will Not Force Taxpayers To Resubmit Returns
The Treasury Department has an easy fix for taxpayers who filed their returns using inaccurate data sent by HealthCare.gov: They don’t have to do anything at all. Last week, the federal government said that it sent incorrect tax forms to about 800,000 people who bought insurance through the federal health care exchange. An estimated 50,000 taxpayers had already filed their returns using inaccurate information. (Siegel Bernard, 2/24)
The Wall Street Journal: IRS Won’t Collect Additional Taxes From Filers Who Used Incorrect Forms
The Internal Revenue Service won’t collect any additional taxes from about 50,000 people who already have filed returns using an incorrect government form on their coverage under the federal health insurance exchange. About 800,000 people who obtained insurance on the federal exchange received incorrect tax statements, known as 1095-A forms, regarding their 2014 coverage. Some of the 50,000 who filed using those forms may have owed more had they received the correct statements. The IRS won’t collect those additional taxes, a senior Treasury Department official said. (Armour, 2/24)
Politico: IRS Won't Collect On Bad Returns From Obamacare Glitch
The Obama administration took a step on Tuesday toward containing the damage from sending the wrong Obamacare tax data to hundreds of thousands of taxpayers. The 50,000 taxpayers who filed returns based on inaccurate subsidy data they got from the government will not need to file amended returns and the IRS won’t collect for any underpayment, the Treasury Department said. (Snell, 2/25)
USA Today: Early Obamacare Tax Filers Get A Break
People who have already filed their taxes using one of the erroneous health insurance forms sent by the federal government will not be required to file an amended return or owe additional taxes, the Treasury Department said Tuesday. About 800,000 consumers who have health insurance purchased on the federal exchange were contacted beginning late last week because the 1095-A tax form sent by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services contained a mistake in the benchmark plan used to calculate how much tax they owe. (O'Donnell and Ungar, 2/24)
The Wall Street Journal: Anthem: Hacked Database Included 78.8 Million People
Health insurer Anthem Inc. said the database that was penetrated in a previously disclosed hacker attack included personal information for 78.8 million people, including 60 million to 70 million of its own current and former customers and employees. The figures, provided by an Anthem spokeswoman, provide extra detail beyond what Anthem disclosed earlier this month, which was that the compromised database included records for around 80 million people. (Wilde Mathews, 2/24)
Los Angeles Times: 13.5 Million Californians Affected By Anthem Data Breach
Health insurance giant Anthem Inc. said 13.5 million Californians were affected by the company's massive data breach that was disclosed earlier this month. The nation's second-largest health insurer said a cyberattack had exposed names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth and other sensitive details on up to 80 million Americans. (Terhune, 2/24)
Reuters: Anthem Says Hack May Affect More Than 8.8 Million Other BCBS Members
Health insurer Anthem Inc, which earlier this month reported that it was hit by a massive cyberbreach, said on Tuesday that 8.8 million to 18.8 million people who were members of other Blue Cross Blue Shield plans could be victims in the attack. (2/24)
USA Today: CDC: Deaths Soared As Narcotic Painkillers Grew Popular
Deaths from prescription narcotic painkillers have soared as the opioid drugs became more popular and powerful, a new federal study found. Four out of five people who used a prescription narcotic painkiller in 2011 to 2012 took pills equal to or stronger than morphine, according to statistics made public Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control National Center for Health Statistics. The percentage of people who took painkillers stronger than morphine, which include such drugs as fentanyl, hydromorphone, methadone and oxycodone, grew from 17% in 1999 to 37% in 2012, the study found. (Leinwand Leger, 2/25)
The Washington Post: Botched Newspaper Exposé Of HPV Vaccine’s ‘Dark Side’ Reveals Dark Side Of News Business
The Toronto Star’s front-page feature on the “dark side” of a widely-used HPV vaccine had all the makings of a blockbuster: a grim, gripping headline, vivid accounts from teenagers who died or were debilitated, a wrenching image of a woman holding a framed photo of her dead daughter. But it lacked a crucial component of any scientific investigation: good data. (Kaplan, 2/25)
Los Angeles Times: California Again Slams Kaiser For Delays In Mental Health Treatment
For the second time in two years, California regulators slammed HMO giant Kaiser Permanente for causing mental health patients, including some who were severely depressed or suicidal, to endure long delays for treatment. The state Department of Managed Health Care said in a report Tuesday that some Kaiser patients continue to wait weeks to see therapists and psychiatrists. The agency also criticized Kaiser for giving patients misleading information about the extent of their mental health coverage. (Pfeifer and Terhune, 2/24)
The Associated Press: New Mexico Senate OKs Forced Mental-Illness Treatment Bill
The New Mexico Senate has passed a proposal that would require some New Mexico residents with severe mental illness to receive court-ordered outpatient treatment. Senators approved Tuesday by a 30-11 vote a measure strongly supported by mental health advocates. (2/24)
