Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Georgia Governor Releases Much-Anticipated Plan To Create 'More Stability And Predictability' In Insurance Market
The Associated Press: Georgia Governor Releases Plans For Health Care Overhaul
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp unveiled a much-anticipated plan Thursday that aims to reduce premiums for residents who buy health insurance under the Affordable Care Act and give the state control of billions of dollars in federal health care funds. The proposal could eventually lead to subsidies for cheaper coverage that doesn't include all the benefits required by the ACA. The plan does not address Medicaid coverage. The Kemp administration is expected to release its Medicaid plans next week. (Thanawala and Nadler, 10/31)
Georgia Health News: From Prices To Website, Kemp Waiver Plan Would Revamp Individual Insurance Market
Kemp announced the plan in his office, surrounded by lawmakers and government officials. He said Thursday that the waiver plan “is a Georgia-centric approach that will lower health care costs and insurance premiums for Georgia families, enhance access to top-notch doctors and state-of-the-art services, and ultimately improve health outcomes for every Georgian.” (Miller, 10/31)
The Hill: Georgia Governor's Health Care Plan Would Allow Subsidies To Pay For ObamaCare Alternatives
"Through these new, innovative measures Georgians will have access to more insurance options like association health plans that cover our friends and neighbors with pre-existing conditions," Kemp said Thursday at an event announcing the plan. The Trump administration has already indicated it would approve state programs that would allow subsidies to pay for plans that don't comply with the law's coverage requirements. (Hellmann, 10/31)
Atlanta Journal Constitution: Plan Would Change Georgia's Individual Health Insurance Market
As a part of the overhaul, Georgians could no longer access the federal website at healthcare.gov to enroll in ACA programs. The website would guide residents to private web brokers or encourage them to register directly with insurance companies, which is something they can’t do now. “No one has done this yet,” said Katie Keith, a professor of health law at Georgetown University. “This is exactly what the Trump administration encouraged states to do, and no one yet has taken them up on it. So this is going to be a really big deal.” (Hart and Bluestein, 10/31)
Modern Healthcare: Georgia Has A New Plan To Lower Insurance Premiums
Georgia Access would let business owners help their employees pay for coverage purchased through the Obamacare marketplaces. It would also encourage more people to buy association health plans that cover preexisting conditions. The state is seeking a 1332 waiver from the CMS to move forward. Under the ACA, the CMS can grant waivers to states that allow them to change Obamacare requirements related to the individual and small group insurance markets. States can use them to tackle weak insurance markets, fix state-specific insurance issues or test different ways to provide coverage. (Brady, 10/31)
