Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Insurance Industry Darling Oscar Health's Membership Growth For 2018 Off The Charts
Modern Healthcare: Oscar Health Drives Membership Growth Through Narrow Network Strategy
Oscar Health, the 5-year-old tech-focused darling of the insurance industry, is starting to see a payoff from its refined approach to structuring its insurance networks. It still hasn't turned a profit, but its 2018 membership growth is off the charts, more than doubling over 2017. That growth wasn't unexpected—New York-based Oscar announced previously that is was expanding its individual market footprint this year to cities in six states from three in 2017. (Livingston, 2/6)
The Star Tribune: Andy Slavitt Launches Push For Affordable Health Care
Andy Slavitt, the former UnitedHealth Group executive who led implementation of the federal health law during the Obama administration, has launched a nonprofit that aspires to break through the partisan logjam to find consensus on access to affordable health care. Called the United States of Care, the nonprofit won’t do any lobbying, Slavitt said, but will focus on policy and grass-roots work to promote solutions that can be backed by most Americans. (Snowbeck, 2/6)
Politico Pro: Trump Administration To Allow More Flexibility On State ACA Waivers
HHS and the Treasury Department will soon release new guidance allowing states more flexibility to revamp their health insurance markets through an Affordable Care Act waiver program, according to four people familiar with the agencies' plans. Individuals who have seen the forthcoming guidance say that it preserves many elements of the Obama administration’s strict guidelines on state innovation waivers while eliminating some frustrations raised by states seeking federal permission for changes. (Diamond, 2/6)
