Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Obama To Americans: Tell Republicans Not To Undo Health Care Progress
The Associated Press: Obama: Health Care Act Is Law, US Can't Go Backward
President Barack Obama is urging the public to help save his health care law, which is in serious danger of being repealed under President-elect Donald Trump. In a Facebook Live appearance, Obama says the Affordable Care Act has improved millions of lives over the six years it's been the "law of the land." He says the country can't go "backward." (12/2)
The Washington Post: Obama Urges The Public To Tell Republicans Not To ‘Abandon’ The ACA
Obama spoke amid the fourth year’s enrollment period for consumers to buy health plans through ACA marketplaces, created for people who cannot get affordable coverage through a job. “If you haven’t gotten covered, now is the time to do it,” the president said, noting that Dec. 15 is the deadline for people to have insurance at the start of 2017. ... “Don’t let Republicans in Congress” take away the ACA’s most popular features, Obama said. “Tell them, ‘We want to build on the progress we’ve made, not abandon it.’ ” (Goldstein, 12/3)
The Wall Street Journal: Obama’s Pitch: Get Insured And Protect Health Law
“I know that lately there’s been yet another debate in Washington about health care reform, and it might make it sound like your insurance is somehow at risk, but here’s the bottom line: the most important thing for you to do is to get you and your family covered right away for 2017,” the president said. “Enrollment is open right now but only until Jan. 31. If you sign up by Dec. 15, you’ll be covered starting Jan. 1.” (Radnofsky, 12/2)
The Hill: Obama Makes Pitch For ObamaCare Signups Despite Repeal Threat
President Obama on Friday made the case for people to sign up for ObamaCare, pushing back on congressional Republicans calling for the law's repeal. In a video message streamed live on Facebook, Obama encouraged viewers to go to HealthCare.gov to sign up for coverage for next year before a Dec. 15 enrollment deadline. Obama addressed concerns that GOP repeal efforts could mean coverage won’t be there.He acknowledged that the debate in Washington “might make it sound like your insurance is somehow at risk,” but he said ObamaCare is still the law of the land. (Sullivan, 12/2)
The CT Mirror: Insurance Department Will Seek To Liquidate HealthyCT
The Connecticut Insurance Department plans to seek a court order to liquidate insurer HealthyCT at the end of the year, following an appointed overseer’s report that the nonprofit company – created with federal funds made available through Obamacare – is insolvent. As of October, the Wallingford company had 30,973 customers, but only about 7,000 are expected to still be covered through group plans in January, according to the status report, filed in Superior Court this week. The Connecticut Insurance Department prohibited HealthyCT from selling new policies or renewing existing coverage in July, and the company’s 13,527 individual-market plans are scheduled to end Dec. 31. (Levin Becker, 12/2)
