Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
N.H. Senator Expresses Hope And Caution About Health Law's Future In Response To Voters' Concerns
New Hampshire Public Radio: At Health Care Discussion, Hassan Says ACA Repeal Is Less Likely, But Threats Remain
Senator Maggie Hassan met with constituents in Concord Monday to hear about their concerns over health care. Participants in the round-table discussion brought up coordination of care and prescription drug costs as issues they're dealing with in the day-to-day. At five months old, Laura Beaudoin’s son was diagnosed with a rare form of pediatric cancer. (Garrova, 11/20)
The Baltimore Sun: Lawmakers Seek To Create State Mandate To Push More Marylanders Into Health Insurance
Buoyed by the midterm elections in which health care played a key role, lawmakers and advocates for the Affordable Care Act in Maryland say they will push a plan to require more people to get coverage. The proposal is a response to congressional Republicans’ move to strip enforcement of the federal mandate to buy coverage beginning in the new year. (Cohn, 11/20)
Nashville Tennessean: Medicaid Expansion: 3 Deep-Red States Just Did It. Why Not Tennessee?
When polls closed on Election Day, one of the biggest winners wasn’t a politician at all. Medicaid expansion – a government policy that extends taxpayer-funded health coverage to the moderately poor – saw significant victories against long odds last week. Although loudly opposed by Republicans lawmakers, ballot initiatives to expand Medicaid were approved by voters in the deep-red states of Utah, Nebraska and Idaho. Kansas and Wisconsin also elected new Democrat governors who vowed to expand Medicaid when their Republican predecessors had not. (Kelman, 11/19)
Kaiser Health News: Buyers Of Short-Term Health Plans: Wise Or Shortsighted?
Supporters of the nation’s health law condemn them. A few states, including California and New York, have banned them. Other states limit them. But to some insurance brokers and consumers, short-term insurance plans are an enticing, low-cost alternative for healthy people. (Gorman, 11/20)
