Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Idaho's Brazen Gambit To Shake Off ACA Rules Being Watched Closely By Other States, Legal Experts
Politico: How One Conservative State Is Flouting Obamacare
Idaho is going rogue on Obamacare. The Republican-led state has a maverick plan to flout the federal health care law, letting insurers sell plans that don’t meet Obamacare coverage rules and patient protections. And the brazen move — Gov. Butch Otter is plowing ahead on his own, without seeking federal waivers or permission — poses a test for the Trump administration. (Demko and Pradhan, 2/14)
Bloomberg: Ignoring Obamacare Rules, Idaho ‘Freedom’ Plans Come With Limits
After Idaho’s Republican governor promised to find creative ways to get around Obamacare, one health plan in the state plans to offer skimpy coverage that may violate many of the law’s protections for patients. Blue Cross of Idaho said Wednesday that it will offer insurance plans that don’t comply with some Affordable Care Act requirements. The “Freedom Blue” coverage is a way to give some people lower premiums upfront in exchange for less comprehensive coverage. (Tracer, 2/14)
Modern Healthcare: Blue Cross Of Idaho Likely To See Lawsuits, Penalties Over Non-ACA Health Plans
Legal and regulatory experts say Blue Cross of Idaho could face lawsuits and federal penalties over its new individual health plans that flout Affordable Care Act rules, such as medical underwriting and annual benefit limits. Blue Cross of Idaho on Wednesday introduced five individual health plans that do not comply with the ACA in its bid to offer more affordable insurance options to uninsured residents in the state who make too much to qualify for subsidies but cannot afford ACA-compliant plans. (Livingston, 2/14)
Kaiser Health News: Idaho Blue Cross Jumps Into Controversial Market For Plans That Bypass ACA Rules
That didn’t take long. It’s barely been two weeks since Idaho regulators said they would allow the sale of health insurance that does not meet all of the Affordable Care Act’s requirements — a controversial step some experts said would likely draw legal scrutiny and, potentially, federal fines for any insurer that jumped in. (Appleby, 2/14)
The Hill: HHS Head Says He Will Uphold ObamaCare As Law
The top federal health official on Wednesday said he will uphold ObamaCare as long as it remains the law. In response to a question about a controversial plan in Idaho to allow insurers to sell plans that don’t meet ObamaCare requirements, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told a congressional panel that he has a responsibility to enforce the law. (Weixel, 2/14)
And in more news from the HHS secretary —
Modern Healthcare: Azar Eyes Relaxing Restrictions On Physician-Owned Hospitals
Two weeks into his new post, HHS Secretary Alex Azar on Wednesday took another step in the Trump administration's move toward relaxing the Affordable Care Act's moratorium on new physician-owned hospitals. In the HHS budget hearing before the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas) asked for Azar to commit the administration to help repeal the ACA's "ban" on physician-owned hospitals. Azar promised he would help change existing restrictions even if he stopped short of saying he would support a full repeal. The ACA provision effectively blocks new physician-owned hospitals from being established by barring them from Medicare. (Luthi, 2/14)
