Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
New Reports On Health Law Examine Access To Coverage And Costs
Los Angeles Times: Obamacare Is Helping Millions Get Needed Healthcare, New Survey Finds
More than 60% of working-age Americans who signed up for Medicaid or a private health plan through the Affordable Care Act are getting healthcare they couldn’t previously get, a new nationwide survey indicates. And consumers are broadly satisfied with the new coverage, despite some cost challenges and an ongoing Republican campaign to discredit the law. Overall, 82% of American adults enrolled in private or government coverage through the health law said they were “somewhat” or “very” satisfied, according to the report from the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund. (Levey, 5/24)
CNBC: Price Increases For Obamacare Depend On Where You Live
Two studies released Tuesday show wide geographic variation in Obamacare price increases seen this year, and in those proposed for next year. Although there are plenty of double-digit prices being proposed, that isn't the case everywhere. The studies underscore that the amount people pay for their Obamacare plans is often strongly related to where they live. They also show how much lower the price increases can be for a customer who switches plans within the same Obamacare "tier." (Mangan, 5/24)
Morning Consult: Analysis Finds 2017 Premiums Rising, But Varies By State
Health insurance premiums are expected to rise for 2017, but by how much will vary by geographic area, an early analysis from Avalere Health finds. Premium rate requests were due to state insurance agencies earlier this month, and complete data is available in nine states so far, on which Avalere based their analysis — the first summary of the 2017 proposed rates. Proposed rates increased across all silver plans, but ranged from a 5 percent increase in Washington to a 44 percent increase in Vermont, the report says. (McIntire, 5/24)
Miami Herald: Competition In Florida Helps Keep Obamacare Rates In Check, Study Says
Competition among health insurance companies requesting to sell plans on the Affordable Care Act exchange in Florida next year should help keep premiums in check for consumers despite an early estimate by state regulators of an average double digit increase, according to an analysis released Tuesday by the nonprofit Urban Institute and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (Chang, 5/24)
