Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Official Enrollment Numbers Show Relatively Small Drop Despite GOP Efforts To Chip Away At Health Law
The New York Times: The Final Obamacare Tally Is In. About 400,000 Fewer People Signed Up This Year.
The Trump administration said on Tuesday that 11.8 million people had signed up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces for 2018 — roughly 400,000 fewer than last year. The drop was relatively small, given that Mr. Trump had sharply cut federal outreach efforts and the open enrollment period was half as long as in past years. Virtually the entire decrease came in the 39 states that use the marketplace run by the federal government, HealthCare.gov. (Goodnough, 4/3)
The Wall Street Journal: Nearly 12 Million People Enrolled In Health Coverage Under The Affordable Care Act
Many analysts had expected a lower sign-up figure because of the abbreviated enrollment window. Groups that support the ACA said the figures showed that Americans are embracing the health law despite Republican efforts to dismantle it. “The American people don’t want to go back to a time when insurers could deny them health care for having a pre-existing condition or be priced out of the market based on their age, gender or medical history,” said Brad Woodhouse, campaign director for the advocacy group Protect Our Care. (Armour, 4/3)
The Washington Post: Nearly 12 Million People Enrolled In 2018 Health Coverage Under The ACA
In an uncharacteristic move, CMS Administrator Seema Verma announced the fifth-year tally in a series of tweets shortly before the report was issued late Tuesday afternoon. The tweets were a blend of praise for what she called “the most cost-effective and successful open enrollment to date” and the Trump administration’s characteristic naysaying about the marketplaces that were created by the sprawling 2010 health-care law it has been seeking to dismantle. (Goldstein, 4/3)
Reuters: U.S. Obamacare 2018 Exchange Enrollment Drops 3 Percent: CMS
U.S. President Donald Trump in October cut off billions of dollars in subsidy payments to insurers that help people pay for medical costs, causing insurers to raise 2018 premiums or drop out of selling plans in the Obamacare marketplace. His administration also halved the enrollment period to six weeks and cut the federal advertising and outreach budget by 90 percent. It also has proposed putting cheaper insurance policies offering bare-bones medical coverage on the Obamacare market in 2019 or 2020. (Erman and Humer, 4/3)
The Associated Press: Premiums Shoot Up, But Many Are Paying Less For 'Obamacare'
Consumers getting financial assistance under former President Barack Obama's health care law will pay lower premiums this year, even though the "list price" for their health insurance shot up. That odd result is reflected in a report issued Tuesday by the Trump administration. After federal aid, the average monthly premium paid by subsidized customers on HealthCare.gov is dropping to $89 from last year's $106. That's a 16 percent savings even though the "list price" premium went up about 30 percent, now averaging $639 for those subsidized customers. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 4/3)
CQ: Enrollment In Health Insurance Marketplaces Fell
Policy experts expected monthly premiums would rise this year, in part, because of the Trump administration’s October decision to cut off reimbursements to insurers for the divisive cost-sharing reduction subsidies. Those subsidies help low-income consumers afford certain out-of-pocket costs. But regulators in most states allowed insurance companies to engage in a practice referred to as “silver loading.” Insurers increased premiums for benchmark silver plans, which the consumer tax credits are based on, and the higher premiums led to larger credits for many consumers.(McIntire, 4/3)
The Hill: Poll: Just 30 Percent Know ObamaCare Mandate Was Repealed
Just 30 percent of the public knows that ObamaCare’s individual mandate has been repealed, according to a new poll. The poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that, even after Congress repealed the mandate to have insurance as part of tax reform in December, much of the public is still confused about whether there is a requirement to have health insurance. (Sullivan, 4/3)
Meanwhile, in the states —
Modern Healthcare: Ohio Seeks First-Ever Individual Mandate Waiver
Ohio officials asked the Trump Administration on Friday to formally waive the Affordable Care Act individual mandate that requires residents to have health insurance, making it the first state to make such a waiver request. Ohio's Legislature called for the 1332 waiver last summer, and Congress zeroed out the financial penalty for not having coverage in its tax bill in December. (Dickson, 4/3)
The Star Tribune: Health Insurers Return To Profitability In Minnesota
Minnesota’s nonprofit health plans saw their financial performance rebound in 2017, driven in part by a surprisingly large profit margin in the market where individuals buy coverage. Margins in the individual market were so high that one health insurer could be providing $30 million in consumer rebates, while an official with another health plan hinted that flat or discounted premiums could be on the horizon. (Snowbeck, 4/3)
