Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Yes, Obamacare Enrollment Is Now Open Amid Future Uncertainty
The Wall Street Journal: Health Care In Spotlight As ACA Enrollment Begins Days Before Election
The start of the Affordable Care Act’s open enrollment Sunday comes as millions of Americans have lost or are losing job-based coverage during the coronavirus pandemic, casting a spotlight on health care in the final sprint of the presidential and congressional elections. Open enrollment runs Nov. 1 through Dec. 15 in the 36 states that rely on the federal exchange, HealthCare.gov. The sign-up period ends later in California, Minnesota and a number of other states running their own exchanges. (Armour, 11/1)
Politico: Obamacare Enrollment Opening With Millions More Uninsured, Law’s Future In Doubt
For the first time since Obamacare coverage began in 2014, the sign-up window is occurring in a battered economy. And the Trump administration, which years ago slashed funding for HealthCare.gov outreach, isn’t ramping up enrollment efforts as the worst public health crisis in a century intensifies across the country. “We’re still not reaching people we should be reaching,” said Jodi Ray, who leads a federally funded program in Florida that helps people get coverage. “Ethically, it’s such a challenge for me — I know we have to reach these people, but I know I don’t have the resources.” (Luthi, 10/31)
CNN: Obamacare: Supreme Court Threat Looms As Enrollment Starts Health Care Law
Americans can start signing up on Sunday for Affordable Care Act plans for 2021 -- even as the Supreme Court is poised to potentially invalidate the law at some point during the year. Oral arguments are scheduled for November 10 in a case that could overturn part or even all of the landmark health reform law. The justices, including newly sworn-in Amy Coney Barrett, are expected to release their opinion in the first half of 2021. (Luhby, 11/1)
KHN: Even With ACA’s Fate In Flux, Open Enrollment Starts Soon. Here’s What’s New.
Facing a pandemic, record unemployment and unknown future costs for COVID-19 treatments, health insurers selling Affordable Care Act plans to individuals reacted by lowering rates in some areas and, overall, issuing only modest premium increases for 2021. “What’s been fascinating is that carriers in general are not projecting much impact from the pandemic for their 2021 premium rates,” said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor at the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. (Appleby, 10/22)
And more from Georgia —
The Hill: Trump Officials Approve Georgia Plan To Remove Healthcare.Gov As Enrollment Option
The Trump administration on Sunday evening approved Georgia’s proposal to eliminate the federal healthcare.gov website as a path to enroll in health insurance, instead directing people to private brokers and insurers. The Trump administration and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) argue the move will increase innovation from the private sector, but Democrats denounced the move as creating confusion for consumers that will result in some people losing coverage. (Sullivan, 11/2)
Modern Healthcare: CMS Approves Georgia's Reinsurance Program Eliminating Healthcare.Gov On The First Day Of Enrollment
CMS on Sunday announced it had approved Georgia's request to lower individual market insurance premiums by establishing a reinsurance program and enabling people to buy coverage directly through web brokers or insurance companies instead of HealthCare.gov. Beginning in 2023, premiums in the state could drop by 13% on average, CMS said in a press release. That would occur through a reinsurance program that would start in 2022 and would reimburse insurers a percentage of claims paid between $20,000 and an estimated $500,000 cap. (11/1)
