Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Sign-Ups For Obamacare Running At A Faster Pace
AP: Interest Is Lively At Deadline For 'Obamacare' Sign-Ups
A crush of sign-ups expected Tuesday on the last day of open enrollment for HealthCare.gov could help solidify the standing of “Obamacare” as an improbable survivor in the Donald Trump years. In 36 states that use HealthCare.gov,- Dec. 15 is deadline day for coverage that starts Jan. 1, while another 14 states and Washington, D.C., have later dates. Analysts and advocates who follow the annual insurance sign-ups say interest has gotten stronger with the coronavirus pandemic gripping the nation. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 12/15)
CNN: Obamacare: Tuesday Deadline Looms For Signups
Americans are flocking to sign up for 2021 health coverage on the Obamacare exchanges, but the window is closing fast. Open enrollment in the 36 states that use the federal exchange, healthcare.gov, ends on Tuesday. More than 3.8 million people selected plans through December 5, according to the most recent federal data, despite a looming Supreme Court challenge. The average number of consumers signing up daily is running about 14% ahead of last year's pace. (Luhby, 12/13)
Dallas Morning News: Texans Are Flocking To Obamacare Amid The Pandemic, And Tuesday’s The Last Chance To Sign Up For 2021 Coverage
Elected leaders in Texas have always opposed the Affordable Care Act, consistently rejecting Medicaid expansion and leading the way with the latest lawsuit to challenge the 2010 law. But the state’s residents are going a different way, signing up for Obamacare for 2021 at a higher pace than ever before. From November through Dec. 5, the average daily number of Texans enrolling on HealthCare.gov shot up 22% compared with last year. That’s the largest gain of any state on the federal exchange and roughly twice the average increase for all states over the same period, according to the website ACASignups.net. (Schnurman, 12/14)
In other news about the health insurance industry —
Modern Healthcare: Insurers Concerned Biden Administration Could Mean More Testing Costs
Some insurers worry that the Biden administration could put them on the hook for more COVID-19 testing costs. The Trump administration issued guidance stating that insurers' responsibility to pay for COVID-19 tests is limited to tests that are medically necessary, despite Democratic lawmakers' insistence that they intended to institute a broader requirement. However, that interpretation could change under a Democratic administration. (Cohrs, 12/14)
