Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
In Political Reversal, Wisconsin Governor Campaigns On Plan To Prop Up Health Law
Politico: Scott Walker Wants To Save Obamacare In Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s Scott Walker, one of the nation’s most militantly anti-Obamacare governors, is making strengthening the health care law a key plank of his reelection platform as Republicans fret over potential losses in November. Walker wants to prop up his Obamacare market with a $200 million program that would compensate health insurers for high-cost patients so they don’t hike premiums for everyone. He also would enshrine Obamacare protections for people with pre-existing conditions. (Pradhan, 2/23)
The Hill: Top Dems Press Idaho On Plan To Get Around ObamaCare Rules
Top congressional Democrats are pressing Idaho on its controversial plan to circumvent certain ObamaCare requirements. The top four Democrats on the congressional committees overseeing health care wrote to Idaho insurance commissioner Dean Cameron on Thursday asking if his moves comply with federal law and requesting a staff briefing on the state’s plans. (Sullivan, 2/22)
CQ: Top Democrats Press Idaho On Controversial Health Plans
Top Democrats from four powerful committees are requesting details from an Idaho official over proposed insurance plans that sidestep some federal health care protections. Sens. Patty Murray of Washington and Ron Wyden of Oregon, together with Reps. Frank Pallone Jr. of New Jersey and Richard E. Neal of Massachusetts, on Thursday requested a briefing from Idaho Insurance Director Dean Cameron on the new “state-based plans.” The lawmakers — in their roles as the top Democrats on the committees overseeing health policy — also asked the state for documents and correspondence with federal regulators regarding the proposed plans. (Clason, 2/22)
And in other health law news —
Kaiser Health News: Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ The Long Wait Ends For Short-Term Plan Rules
The Trump administration finally released a long-awaited rule that would allow significant expansion of health insurance policies that do not meet all the requirements of the Affordable Care Act, both in terms of what they cover and how much they charge. The administration says it wants to broaden the availability of so-called short-term insurance plans to give people who buy their own insurance more choices of lower-cost coverage. (2/22)
Modern Healthcare: HHS Deletes Budget Request For $11.5 Billion In Risk-Corridor Funding
The HHS walked back a request for more than $11.5 billion to fund the Affordable Care Act's risk-corridor program after health insurers suing for those payments said the budget item strengthened their cases. Moda Health and Land of Lincoln Health, two of the more than three dozen insurance companies that have sued for the unpaid risk-corridor funds, stated in court documents that the federal agency's recent budget request flew in the face of the Trump and Obama administrations' argument that the government isn't obligated to pay them. (Llivingston, 2/22)
