Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Thoughts On How Republican's Answer To Obamacare Plays Out On The State Level
The Des Moines Register: GOP Health Plan Would Hit Iowa Especially Hard
After seven years, U.S. House Republicans have finally unveiled their plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. It immediately went over like a lead balloon with pretty much everyone, including doctors, hospitals, insurers and advocacy groups. Many conservatives cannot even feign support for it. (3/14)
AL.com: The Devil Is In The Details Of The American Health Care Act, And The Details Are Not Good For Alabama
Yes, there were issues with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). But any replacement should make it better, not worse. Many of the concepts in the proposed American Health Care Act (AHCA) are good, but the way they are being implemented is detrimental to Alabama. As always, the "devil is in the details," and many of the details are not good for Alabama. The American Health Care Act, as currently written, will harm Alabama by (1) increasing the need for state funding, a resource we don't have, (2) increasing the number of fellow citizens who are uninsured, and (3) harming Alabama hospitals' already shaky financial status. (Will Ferniany and Selwyn Vickers, 3/14)
Denver Post: Cuts To Colorado Hospital Funding Could Be Critical
The Colorado state government is proposing a large funding cut to state hospitals through the Hospital Provider Fee (HPF). The cut to Denver Health equals $48 million, which would result in reductions to vital, life-saving services. Beyond Denver, HPF funding cuts will curtail services at rural hospitals and even cause some to close, forcing entire communities to travel great distances to access care.This funding cut is avoidable and has nothing to do with federal health care reform. Action is needed now to safeguard essential health care services for all Coloradans. (Rus Heise and Carol Lewis, 3/14)
Seattle Times: Washington Loses Under Republican Answer To ACA
Washington state stands to lose more than $1 billion a year in federal dollars if the House Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act becomes law. The proposed cure for the Affordable Care Act is worse than the illness. Congress should be focusing on giving more people access to health care for less money — as the president promised — instead of taking insurance away from millions. (3/14)
San Francisco Chronicle: Single-Payer Health Care Returns To Sacramento
Does it qualify as news when legislators file a bill that aims to do a lot but tells us very little about how? Yes, when the issue is single-payer health care and the state is California. There’s been no such proposal entertained in Sacramento for the past four years, and under normal circumstances, there probably wouldn’t have been this year either. But then came Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. (Gallagher, 3/14)
