Latest KFF Health News Stories
Some Health Law Provisions Raising Questions, Costs
News outlets examined how Medicaid costs may be affected by the ACA, and the dilemma the law poses for some IRS rules.
First Edition: February 12, 2014
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about President Barack Obama’s comments yesterday on his administration’s decision to decision to give mid-sized businesses more time to comply with the health law’s employer mandate.
Officials announced Monday that the government will not enforce the mandate for businesses with 50 to 99 workers until 2016. In addition, larger employers will also be allowed to cover just 70 percent of workers in 2015, instead of the 90 percent originally required.
Weekend Maintenance Will Affect Healthcare.gov
Meanwhile, Maryland officials say the problems with that state’s enrollment website are unlikely to be fixed before the March 31 enrollment deadline. Elsewhere, California is hiring more call center workers, and Illinois is reaching out to young adults with ads in the satirical online newspaper, The Onion.
AOL CEO’s Assertions Spur Skepticism, Privacy Concerns
Experts say that a company the size of AOL, which pays for its employees’ health costs directly, likely has a “stop-loss” policy that covers expenses after they reach a certain point. The New York Times, meanwhile, explores how the comments by CEO Tim Armstrong raise privacy concerns about how employers treat employees’ private medical data.
Republicans are considering tying an increase in the debt ceiling to restoring pension cuts for military retirees and paying for it by extending automatic cuts to programs, including Medicare. The Medicare doctor payment fix that the GOP was considering tying to the raise is now moving on its own track.
Arkansas Lawmakers Could Retreat From Innovative Medicaid Expansion Plan
The legislature may reverse course just as Republicans in other states are weighing whether to follow the Arkansas proposal to use federal funds to buy private insurance for some of the state’s low income residents.
GAO: Medicine Shortages Remain Stubbornly High
Some experts say the solution is to pay more for generic injectable drugs.
State Highlights: WellPoint Deal Gets Regulator Scrutiny
A selection of health policy stories from California, Virginia, New York, Florida, Connecticut and Georgia.
A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.
First Edition: February 11, 2014
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including detailed coverage of the Obama administration’s announcement that it will delay a health law requirement that mid-sized employers provide health insurance to workers while also allowing larger employers more flexibility.
Obama Administration Again Delays Insurance Mandate For Some Smaller Employers
Officials announce that employers with 50 to 99 workers will have until 2016 before they must offer health insurance to employees or face penalties.
Obamacare Tweaks Continue Amid Complaints
The government will allow consumers who are unhappy with the plan they chose to make some limited changes and announces options for reporting life changes, such as a marriage or the birth of a child, to update their plan choices, the administration said.
Opting Out Of Medicaid Expansion Creates Coverage Gaps, Leaves Hospitals Short On Payments
The Wall Street Journal examines the gap created by some states deciding not to expand their Medicaid programs and what that decision means for hospitals’ bottom lines. Also, Republican lawmakers consider “bailouts” for hospitals after they decided not to expand Medicaid. In the meantime, Arkansas’ lawmakers get ready to debate the state’s Medicaid experiment.
Critics Continue Efforts To Limit Health Law Navigators
In Georgia, some navigator events were canceled after health law opponents held a protest at one and posted other events on its website, urging more protests. In South Dakota, meanwhile, a lawmaker introduced a bill to require state registration and background checks of the insurance guides. And a New Hampshire hospital that was excluded from Anthem’s network is in the news because it is challenging that decision.
A selection of opinions and editorials from around the country.
Budget Issues Begin To Cloud Outlook For State Exchanges
The Associated Press reports that questions are emerging about how these online marketplaces will operate under the current financing model. Also, the latest news on exchanges from California, Oregon and Florida.
On Capitol Hill, Some Debt Limit Solutions Include ‘Doc Fix’
In other congressional news, health insurers are upping their efforts to fight Medicare Advantage cuts and the Washington Post’s fact checker takes a look at health law claims made by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
Health Law Issues Take Key Place In Run-Up To Elections
For instance, the Louisiana chapter of Americans for Prosperity, the group backed by the Koch brothers, made a $600,000 ad buy against Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La, because of her health law support. Meanwhile, other Democrats in tight races are trying to claim credit for trying to fix the problematic parts of the measure while still embracing its popular elements.
Federal Appeals Court Denies UnitedHealthcare Request To Throw Out Medicare Advantage Case
An appeals court upheld an injunction stopping UnitedHealthcare from dropping thousands of Connecticut doctors from their Medicare Advantage network and directed the parties to arbitration. In the meantime, some consumers must re-enroll in the original Medicare program there to keep doctors UnitedHealthcare dropped in New Haven, Conn.
