Policy Perspectives: The Complexities Of Choosing A Health Plan; GOP Continues To Fumble On Health Care
Opinion writers offer their thoughts on a range of health policy issues, including the Affordable Care Act's open enrollment season, how some specific markets are doing, single-payer health care systems and more.
The New York Times:
Choosing A Health Insurance Plan Is Not ‘Shopping’
It’s time to select a health insurance plan for 2018! Whether we get covered through an employer or the Affordable Care Act exchanges, we’ll be told to carefully review our options to find a plan that will give us the best coverage for the least amount of money. We will be told we need to shop. (Helaine Olen, 11/2)
Austin American-Statesman:
Republicans Are Callously Mishandling Health Care Issues
Republican lawmakers have shown us that they don’t really care about helping people get quality, affordable health care, or even helping them keep it for that matter. ...A month ago, the GOP leadership allowed the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to expire. (Joni Ashbrook, 11/2)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Want To Defy Trump? Get Health Coverage
Americans have opposed the Trump administration in many ways, from taking to the streets to leaving Congress. Here’s a more practical form of protest: obtaining health insurance. (11/1)
San Jose Mercury News:
Covered California Health Market Alive And Well
Thanks to careful planning, the vast majority of the 1.4 million enrolled in Covered California plans will be able to find affordable health insurance plans for 2018. Covered California Executive Director Peter Lee says 78 percent of the program’s enrollees can expect to see their costs actually decrease next year. (11/1)
Axios:
One Big Thing People Don’t Know About Single Payer
It is generally assumed that the biggest obstacle to a national health plan like Medicare for All will be the large tax increase needed to pay for it. But new polling shows another challenge: Almost half of the American people don't know that they would have to change their current health insurance arrangements if there was a single-payer plan. (Drew Altman, 11/2)
The New York Times:
Bernie Sanders Went To Canada And Learned A Few Things
As he tells it, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont fell in love with the Canadian health system 20 years ago when he brought a busload of his constituents across the border to buy cheaper prescription drugs. Now he wants to make Americans fall in love with his proposal to make the United States system a lot more like Canada’s. (Margot Sanger-Katz, 11/1)
The Washington Post:
Is This The Future Of Health Care?
The big news in health care last week was the disclosure that CVS Health — owner of a vast network of drugstores — is considering buying Aetna, one of the nation’s largest health insurers, for roughly $66 billion. It’s undeniably important, but why? (Robert J. Samuelson, 11/1)
The Des Moines Register:
Let Iowans Buy Medicaid Health Insurance
Sen. Matt McCoy and Rep. John Forbes are exactly right. Iowans who cannot find affordable, private health insurance should be able to buy into Medicaid coverage. The proposal, unveiled last week by the two Democratic state lawmakers, is especially welcome now, as the state’s individual private insurance market is faltering. (11/1)
