Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Special Enrollment Yields Over 200,000 ACA Sign Ups So Far
The Washington Post: More Than 200,000 Americans Sign Up For ACA Health Plans During Special Enrollment Period
More than 200,000 Americans signed up for Affordable Care Act health plans during the first two weeks of an extended enrollment period President Biden ordered to help more people find insurance amid the economic ripple effects caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Figures released Wednesday by federal health officials show the number of consumers who chose coverage through HealthCare.gov from Feb. 15 to Feb. 28 — 206,236 — was nearly three times higher than during the same period last year and roughly 3½ times greater than in 2019. (Goldstein, 3/3)
USA Today: Obamacare Sign-Ups Expand During Special COVID-19 Enrollment Period
More than 206,000 Americans signed up for health insurance through the federally run HealthCare.gov in the first two weeks of the three-month special enrollment period created by President Joe Biden, the administration announced Wednesday. That compares with about 76,000 who enrolled during the same period last year, when people could only pick a plan if they had a special circumstance, such as a job loss. But it's still a small fraction of those who lack insurance coverage. (Groppe, 3/3)
CNN: Sign-Ups For Biden's Obamacare Special Enrollment Period Nearly Triple
"These numbers are an encouraging sign — but we can't slow down until every American has the security and peace of mind that quality, affordable health coverage provides," [President] Biden said. (Luhby, 3/3)
AP: Biden Encouraged By Consumer Interest In 'Obamacare' Offer
If the pace keeps up, “this special enrollment period could make a meaningful dent in the number of people uninsured,” said Larry Levitt, who tracks health insurance for the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. “The enrollment numbers so far are stronger than I would have expected.” (Alonso-Zaldivar, 3/4)
Also —
Newsweek: Obamacare 2.0, A New Healthcare Shakeup, Is On Democrats' Agenda
Joe Biden campaigned on a promise to fix Obamacare rather than make sweeping changes like enacting Medicare for All. In his first major legislative proposal, the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill currently making its way through Congress, he's already included a key component of his plan: expanding subsidies to make health insurance more affordable for more people. But it will take more than a few tweaks tucked into a budget bill to fix what's wrong with the U.S. health care system—failures that the coronavirus pandemic have exposed and underscored. America's public-health failure in the current crisis reflects the country's long, sorry record of neglect, poor organization, underfunding, and misplaced priorities when it comes to public health. Add to those woes the sky-high cost of health care, uneven access and relatively poor outcomes, it's clear the American public has been living for decades with a health system that is failing. (Freedman, 3/3)
