Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
The 27 Million People The Health Law Left Behind
Bloomberg: Why 27 Million Are Still Uninsured Under Obamacare
One key to stabilizing the law is drawing in more of those who are uninsured, particularly the younger, healthier ones. In fact, young people are the most likely to go uninsured, according to a detailed analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The analysis shows that those who lack insurance cut across age and income and vary from state to state. Taking a look at who these people are can give clues to how the health law is falling short, and what can be done to fix it. (Diamond, Tracer and Whiteaker, 10/19)
Morning Consult: Analysis: Less Than Half Of Uninsured Eligible For Federal Assistance
Less than half of the approximately 27 million uninsured people in the U.S. are eligible for federal financial assistance, an analysis released Tuesday by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows. Roughly 11.7 million, or 43 percent of that population, are not taking advantage of some sort of federal assistance to get health insurance that they are eligible for, according to the analysis. That assistant may be in the form of a subsidy to purchase a policy on the Affordable Care Act exchange or a Medicaid plan a consumer is eligible for but not signed up for. (McIntire, 10/18)
The Wall Street Journal: Rate Increases For Health Plans Pose Serious Test For Obama’s Signature Law
Finalized rates for big health insurance plans around the country show the magnitude of the challenge facing the Obama administration as it seeks to stabilize the insurance market under the Affordable Care Act in its remaining weeks in office. Market leaders that are continuing to sell coverage through HealthCare.gov or a state equivalent have been granted average premium increases of 30% or more in Alabama, Delaware, Hawaii, Kansas, Mississippi and Texas, according to information published by state regulators and on a federal site designed to highlight rate increases of 10% or more. (Radnofsky, 10/18)
The Hill: ObamaCare Experts: Don't Expect Fixes In 2017
Leading experts on healthcare policy say they’re not holding their breath for major fixes to ObamaCare in the next Congress.“ We shouldn’t hold down great expectations for significant change,” Robert Reischauer, one of two public trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds, said Tuesday. “What we should probably do is tamp down the behavior that would make things worse,” he said, referring to six years of Republican attempts to undermine the law. (Ferris, 10/18)
The Hill: Top ObamaCare Lobbyists Reject 'Public Option' Push
Longtime ObamaCare lobbyists are soundly rejecting one of Hillary Clinton’s most prominent healthcare pitches: the public option. Leaders of the nation’s largest hospital, pharmaceutical and insurer trade groups said on Tuesday they wouldn’t support a Clinton administration’s push for a public option without first ensuring the Obamacare marketplaces work. (Ferris, 10/18)
Morning Consult: Top Health Care Lobbyists Push Back On Idea Of Public Option
The leaders of three of D.C.’s top health care advocacy groups suggested they’ll push hard against a public option at a Chamber of Commerce event Tuesday on the Affordable Care Act. Leaders of trade groups representing insurers, hospitals and the pharmaceutical industry speaking together on a panel all rejected a public option, and said that officials should instead opt to strengthen the exchanges as they are. Democrats in recent months have pointed to creating a public option in at least some regions of the country that are experiencing a lack of competition on the Affordable Care Act markets. (McIntire, 10/18)
The Hill: Should ObamaCare’s Individual Mandate Penalties, Subsidies Increase?
Crafting the law’s subsidies to help individuals afford coverage was a potential key to its success. Coupled with the individual mandate to purchase coverage or pay a penalty, the decisions involved hand-wringing over the fee and subsidy structure that could strike just the right chord, yet remain economically feasible, and most importantly, passable by Congress. Six years later, the debate over ObamaCare hasn’t ceased. Critics say the law is fundamentally flawed and nothing short of repeal is needed. But for some policy wonks, the debate is more nuanced. They have analyzed what would make the law work better, and wonder if a higher individual mandate penalty or more generous subsidies would help drive more Americans into the exchanges. (Roubein, 10/18)
The Philadelphia Inquirer: 2015 Financial Results For Affordable Care Act Plans Mixed
Among six Pennsylvania health insurers with at least $50 million in revenue last year from the individual coverage sold under the Affordable Care Act, only two collected more in premiums than they paid in claims, according to Pennsylvania Insurance Department data released Monday. They were Independence Blue Cross and Aetna. The results illustrate the disarray in the ACA insurance markets, as insurers have struggled to accurately price insurance for a population that has proven to be a moving target. (Brubaker, 10/18)
The Fiscal Times: Open Enrollment Is Here: 5 Steps To Pick The Right Health Care Benefits
It's open enrollment season again, when employers announce health benefit options for next year and provide an opportunity for employees to make changes to their plans. While choosing your health care benefits may not top your list of favorite activities -‑ nearly three quarters of employees say reading about benefits is long, complicated or stressful, according to a new report from Aflac -- it’s one of the most important financial decisions that you make. (Braverman, 10/19)
