Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
The Health Law Has Had Some Topsy-Turvy Months. Here's A Look At Where Things Stand.
Modern Healthcare: Where The ACA Health Insurance Exchanges Stand In 2018
Though enrollment in the exchanges slipped and insurers hiked premiums by an average of 30%, the size of the premium tax credits available to most exchange enrollees ballooned enough that the average subsidized shopper paid a lower premium for coverage than the year before. Even so, the individual on-exchange ACA plans remain unaffordable for millions of people who aren’t eligible for financial help. Congress has yet to pass legislation to bolster the market and bring down premiums, and is unlikely to do so before insurers must file 2019 rates later this spring. (Livingston, 4/11)
And in the states —
Politico Pro: Massachusetts To Tout Its Individual Mandate After Congress Axes Obamacare’s
The looming demise of Obamacare’s individual mandate is prompting a scramble among health officials in Massachusetts, where a requirement to purchase coverage remains very much alive in the state that pioneered the idea. Massachusetts health officials for the first time in years are making plans to nudge residents to buy insurance or face a penalty, as they worry that Congress’ decision to repeal Obamacare’s mandate will sow confusion and risk unwinding the state’s historic coverage gains. (Pradhan, 4/11)
The Star Tribune: Minnesota Health-Plan Shoppers Used $137 Million In State Rebates
Consumers in the individual health insurance market used about $137 million worth of financial help last year, less than half the sum set aside by legislators, according to final figures for the state’s one-time premium rebate program. Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) released numbers this week showing that 118,000 people in the individual market received rebates, with an average value of $136 per person per month. (Snowbeck, 4/11)
