Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Immigrants Here Illegally Will Not Get Access To Health Law But May Get Other Coverage
Politico: Undocumented Immigrants Won't Get Obamacare - But Latino Coverage Could Rise
President Barack Obama’s immigration order won’t suddenly swell the rolls of Obamacare with undocumented immigrants, but it will open the door to many more Latinos getting health insurance. Freed from deportation threats, more of the undocumented may be able to take regular jobs with health insurance for themselves and their families, instead of operating in shadow jobs without health insurance. They will not be covered by Obamacare, however. (Wheaton, 11/20)
The Hill: Activists Say States Keep Abortion Coverage In Health Plans
Anti-abortion activists are claiming that the Obama administration is still ignoring its promise to allow healthcare customers to opt out of plans that cover abortions. Under ObamaCare, every state is required to offer at least one plan that does not cover abortion. But research from the Family Research Council and the Charlotte Lozier Institute has found that at least three states — with more than 100 plans altogether — are still not complying. (Ferris, 11/20)
Kaiser Health News: Former HHS Official Calls For ‘Smarter’ Networks That Deliver Cost-Effective Care
Many consumers who signed up for health coverage through online insurance exchanges discovered their doctors were not in their plans’ networks. While narrow networks aren’t new, they have emerged as one of insurers’ major levers for keeping costs down under the Affordable Care Act. Lawsuits in California allege that some insurers duped customers into thinking their networks were larger by posting inaccurate provider lists. But such plans can be designed right, says Gary Cohen, a former Obama administration official who helped oversee the launch of the federal health website. Cohen sat down recently with Kaiser Health News’ Julie Appleby (Appleby, 11/21).
