Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Wall Street Criticizes Calif. Insurers For Overstating Doctor Networks
Los Angeles Times: Wall Street Chides Top California Insurers For Obamacare Network Errors
Two leading health insurers drew new fire from Wall Street for overstating their Obamacare doctor networks and trying to deflect the blame. Last week, California regulators found that Anthem Blue Cross, a unit of publicly traded WellPoint Inc., and nonprofit insurer Blue Shield of California violated state law by giving consumers misleading information about their provider networks. The two companies' error rates each topped 25%, according to the California Department of Managed Health Care. (Terhune, 11/24)
The Boston Globe: 1 In 10 Hit Snag On Mass. Health Connector Site
About 5,000 people applying for health insurance have been temporarily locked out of the Massachusetts Health Connector’s website because of difficulties proving their identities online — an issue that Connector officials call inevitable and similar to experiences in other states. (Freyer, 11/24)
The Associated Press: Health Care Website Working As Hoped
Nearly 52,000 individuals in Massachusetts have been found eligible for insurance plans that comply with the federal Affordable Care Act during the first seven days of the open enrollment period for 2015. Of those, about 24,000 were immediately enrolled in MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program. (11/24)
Health News Colorado: ‘Only Three Weeks Left’ To Get Health Insurance For Jan. 1
About 1,700 new customers signed up for private health insurance during the first eight days that Colorado’s exchange was open, but anyone who wants coverage by Jan. 1 must sign up by Dec. 15. (Kerwin McCrimmon, 11/24)
The Denver Post: Renewals Fuel More Signups On Colorado Health Exchange Than Last Year
State health insurance exchange officials on Monday said 6,144 people have signed up in the first eight days of open enrollment for 2015, well ahead of last year's pace of 204. The 6,144 sign-ups were predominantly renewals — 4,400 people re-enrolling through Connect for Health Colorado, according to its interim chief executive, Gary Drews. (Draper, 11/24)
Meanwhile, the controversy over former White House adviser Jonathan Gruber continues to reverberate in states that also contracted with him to help set up their marketplaces.
Minneapolis Star-Tribune: MN GOP Lawmaker Seeks Probe Into Gruber Contract On MNsure
State Rep. Greg Davids on Monday asked Attorney General Lori Swanson to review details of a 2011 contract between MNsure and Dr. Jonathan Gruber, a national health consultant whose work related to the federal Affordable Care Act has become the subject of controversy. (Condon, 11/24)
California Health Report explores a program that helps states fight chronic health problems.
California Health Report: Health Grants Go To Small Communities With Innovative Approaches To Obesity, Smoking
Created in 2012 by the Affordable Care Act and administered through the federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the two-year grants are intended to prevent chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease. In the first round of grants, which ran from October 2012 to September 2014, more than $70 million went to communities and counties with fewer than 500,000 people. Eight new grants, which have now been renamed Partnerships to Improve Community Health grants, were awarded in California in September for a total of $12.2 million. (Renner, 11/24)
