Gearing Up For Online Insurance Markets
The Wall Street Journal profiles the man overseeing California's online insurance marketplace and spotlights one business owner's decisions about whether and how to offer his employees coverage. Other media outlets explore Democrats' outreach efforts -- and how Republicans embrace the individual mandate for illegal immigrants.
The Wall Street Journal: A Second Chance At Insuring The Masses
Years ago, Peter V. Lee presided over a failed effort to help California small businesses buy health insurance by pooling their purchasing power. Now he is getting another shot at expanding health-care access as executive director of Covered California, the largest state exchange spawned by the 2010 federal health-care law. ... The stakes are high, not only for 54-year-old Mr. Lee but for the Obama administration, which hopes the state will be a showcase for its efforts to remake the U.S. health-care system. California, where one in seven uninsured people live, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, is a strong proponent of the law and has spent more time and money than any other state building an exchange (Vara, 5/28).
The Wall Street Journal: A Business Owner Decides Health Coverage
Larger employers face penalties starting in 2014 if they don't make affordable health-care coverage available to their employees under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Follow the decision-making process of one business owner as he explores his options (5/28).
Politico: Nancy Ann DeParle Fundraising For Obamacare
Nancy-Ann DeParle helped get Obamacare enacted during President Barack Obama's first term. In his second term, she's trying to get insurers to pony up millions to get the law successfully launched (Haberkorn and Norman, 5/28).
Politico: House Democrats Gear Up For Affordable Care Act Outreach
Democrats on Capitol Hill are beginning a significant outreach effort to get lawmakers prepared for Obamacare enrollment, which will begin Oct. 1. House Democratic leaders have asked each member to designate a district office contact on the health law, planned state-by-state training sessions with administration officials and distributed Q & As on how to sign up for health coverage (Haberkorn, 5/28).
Politico: GOP Learns To Love Individual Mandate – For Immigrants
House Republicans were so opposed to forcing people to buy health insurance that they fought Obamacare all the way to the Supreme Court. But now they may be okay with an individual mandate — if it's for illegal immigrants. Members of a House immigration group are considering a rule that would force immigrants to buy their own health insurance while they wait for citizenship (Nather, 5/28).
CQ HealthBeat: Medicaid Pay Increase Still Missing In Action In Most Places
The authors of the 2010 health care law were so worried about a potential shortage of primary care physicians that they included a sweetener, a pay raise that was supposed to start Jan. 1, designed to persuade providers to treat Medicaid patients. But most doctors are still waiting to see the money. The law was designed to boost Medicaid payments in 2013 and 2014. With 2013 nearly half over, physicians’ groups blame state and federal delays, as well as confusion among doctors, for the slow start (Adams, 5/29).