With Kansas Allowing Skimpy Farm Bureau Plans, Some Worry It’s Becoming A Trend
Now three states have passed laws to let their Farm Bureaus sell plans that don't meet the health law's strict consumer protections. "The only way the Farm Bureau can sell cheaper policies is by limiting benefits and only insuring people who are low risk. This could spread to other states,"said Sandy Praeger, a Republican and former Kansas insurance commissioner.
Modern Healthcare:
New Kansas Law May Spur Other States To Allow Skinny ACA Health Plans
Kansas' new law allowing the sale of health plans that can turn away people with pre-existing medical conditions has heightened concerns that more states may move to allow leaner, cheaper plans that don't comply with Affordable Care Act rules. So far, three states have passed laws allowing their Farm Bureaus to bypass ACA rules and sell health plans that are free from any state insurance regulation. Kansas became the latest last week. The state's Democratic governor let the bill become law without her signature in the hope of winning GOP support for a bill to expand Medicaid to low-income adults, though that remains uncertain. (Meyer, 4/23)
In other news on health care coverage and insurance —
The Hill:
House Dems To Hold Hearing On 'Medicare For All' Next Week
The House Rules Committee will hold a hearing on "Medicare for All" legislation next week, a step forward for the legislation that is gaining ground in the progressive wing of the party. The hearing on Tuesday will examine a bill from Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) that has over 100 co-sponsors in the House. (Sullivan, 4/23)
The Hill:
Dem Primary Voters Rank Health Care As Top Issue
Health care issues are most important to likely Democratic primary voters, according to a new poll. Twenty-five percent of the voters surveyed in the Morning Consult poll say health care issues are most important, closely followed by 22 percent who chose economic issues. Supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Ind., are more likely to say health care issues are most important to them than backers of former Vice President Joe Biden and Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), pollsters found. (Hellmann, 4/23)
