Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Premiums To Jump 15 Percent Next Year Due To Trump's Threats To Subsidies, CBO Projects
The Associated Press: Analysts See Trump Threats To Insurers Boosting Premiums
Average premiums for individually purchased health insurance will grow around 15 percent next year, largely because of marketplace nervousness over whether President Donald Trump will block federal subsidies to insurers, Congress' nonpartisan fiscal analyst projected Thursday. The Congressional Budget Office estimate comes as Trump has repeatedly threatened to halt the payments in his drive to dismember President Barack Obama's health care law. (Fram, 9/14)
The Hill: CBO: ObamaCare Uncertainty Will Lead To 15 Percent Hike In Premiums
CBO blamed the premium hikes on "short-term market uncertainty." Insurers have pleaded for more certainty on key ObamaCare payments called cost-sharing reduction subsidies, which reimburse them for giving discounts to low-income patients. (Hellmann, 9/14)
Reuters: Obamacare Enrollment To Fall In 2018 And Beyond After Cuts: CBO
The non partisan agency now estimates that the average monthly enrollment on the exchanges will be about 11 million people, down about 4 million from last year's forecast. People can sign up for or drop out of coverage throughout the year as their employment status or access to other government health plans changes. (Humer, 9/14)
