Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Governors Keeping Details Of Blueprint To Stabilize Marketplace Close To Chest For Now
The Hill: Kasich, Hickenlooper Reach Deal On ObamaCare Markets
Govs. John Kasich of Ohio (R) and John Hickenlooper of Colorado (D) announced Monday that they have reached an agreement on a bipartisan proposal to stabilize ObamaCare markets. The governors, who have been calling for bipartisanship on healthcare in a series of recent interviews, are not yet releasing the details of their stabilization plan. (Sullivan, 8/28)
Roll Call: DCCC Launches Health Care Facebook Ads In Targeted Districts
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching a new Facebook ad campaign aimed at nearly all of its 80 GOP targets that highlights the Republican health care bill. The ads are targeted at Republicans who voted for the bill — and even Republicans who voted against it. The committee is delaying launching the ads in the three Texas districts it is targeting in light of the Hurricane Harvey's devastation. But they will eventually run in those districts. (Bowman, 8/29)
The Associated Press: Gov't Report: 28.1M In US Lack Health Coverage
The government says about 500,000 fewer Americans had no health insurance the first three months of this year, but that slight dip was not statistically significant from the same period in 2016. Progress reducing the number of uninsured appears to have stalled in the last couple of years, and a separate private survey that measured through the first half of 2017 even registered an uptick. (8/29)
Miami Herald: More Insured Since Obamacare But Pay High Deductibles
More Americans had health insurance during the first three months of 2017 than before the Affordable Care Act became law in March 2010, according to the National Health Interview Survey released Tuesday — but more have coverage with high out-of-pocket costs, which can discourage patients from visiting the doctor and filling a prescription. (Chang, 8/29)
In other news on the health law —
Politico Pro: Obamacare Struggling To Keep Unsubsidized Customers
While Obamacare’s exchanges have survived a rocky four years, the insurance market is quickly melting down for millions of people who earn too much to receive subsidies. ... In just the past year, enrollment of unsubsidized Obamacare customers fell by 17 percent to fewer than 7 million, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. (Demko, 8/28)
Modern Healthcare: Northwell Chief Says Obamacare Rule Change Led To Insurer's Early Death
Northwell Health chief executive Michael Dowling said the system's decision to disband its insurance company will not hinder its plans to better manage patients' health in order to capture the savings of reduced costs. Health systems in New York are increasingly striking deals with insurers to be paid for keeping patients healthy and out of hospitals—not for each test and procedure. Northwell had hoped to capitalize on that change by setting up an insurance company. By becoming both the payer and the provider, it could control costs and keep more of the savings. (LaMantia, 8/28)
