Health Care Groups Offer Negative Takes On Trump Insurance Marketplace Rules
More than 300 patient and consumer groups have expressed concerns over the proposed rulemaking, warning the planned changes could destabilize insurance markets, raise premiums for sick Americans and make insurance fraud easier. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is also eyeing changes to accountable care organizations.
Los Angeles Times:
Trump's New Insurance Rules Are Panned By Nearly Every Healthcare Group That Submitted Formal Comments
More than 95% of healthcare groups that have commented on President Trump’s effort to weaken Obama-era health insurance rules criticized or outright opposed the proposals, according to a Times review of thousands of official comment letters filed with federal agencies. The extraordinary one-sided outpouring came from more than 300 patient and consumer advocates, physician and nurse organizations and trade groups representing hospitals, clinics and health insurers across the country, the review found. (Levey, 5/30)
Politico Pro:
Trump Administration Eyes ACO Changes As Providers Push Back
Top Trump health officials have indicated they want ACOs to take on more financial risk for patient care — but if the administration pushes the organizations too hard, it could wind up forcing providers out of the ACO program entirely and potentially undermine efforts to rein in health spending. More than 80 percent of Medicare ACOs are in payment arrangements that shield them from penalties for exceeding pre-determined spending targets — but rewards them for coming in under budget. (Pittman, 5/29)
On the state level -
Politico:
New Jersey Becomes Second State To Adopt Individual Health Insurance Mandate
Gov. Phil Murphy on Wednesday signed into law a bill that will require all New Jersey residents to have health coverage or pay a penalty, making the state the second in the country to adopt an individual health insurance mandate. Democratic lawmakers drafted the bill in response to Congress’ decision to repeal the federal mandate established under the Affordable Care Act. The repeal, the New Jersey lawmakers feared, would drive healthier people out of the state’s Obamacare market and cause premiums to spike. (Jennings, 5/31)
Politico:
New Mexico Governor Candidate Profited From High-Risk Insurance Plans
Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, the leading Democratic candidate for governor in New Mexico, profited from the state’s use of a high-priced health-insurance program for seriously ill patients, even after Obamacare made such programs virtually obsolete. As most states were shuttering their subsidized health-insurance programs for people with pre-existing conditions because they could get coverage through Obamacare, a firm co-founded by Lujan Grisham and a close political ally received millions of dollars to run New Mexico’s program, even as she served in Congress. (Pradhan, 5/30)
In other news related to health insurance -
The Wall Street Journal:
Clean Bill Of Health For Insurance Deals
Small health insurers have every incentive to get bigger. That is the takeaway from Tuesday’s announcement that WellCare Health Plans plans to buy privately held insurer Meridian for $2.5 billion. Like WellCare, Meridian specializes in government-sourced business such as Medicaid and Medicare Advantage. (Grant, 5/30)
