Valentine’s Day Surprise: Senate Democrats Blast Obamacare Implementation
Senate Democrats on Thursday showed little love to the Obama administration for how it is implementing the federal health law. Testifying before the powerful Senate Finance Committee, the administration’s top regulator on new health exchanges encountered criticism from several Democrats who helped push through the 2010 federal health overhaul — among them Chairman Max Baucus of […]
Health Figures Big In State Of The Union Guest List
Five of the 24 people invited to sit near First Lady Michelle Obama at Tuesday night’s State of the Union have strong health care connections. They included a governor, a business owner and a beneficiary of the health law provision that prevents health plans from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions. Typically, invited guests at […]
Medicaid Helps Hospitals Pay For Illegal Immigrants’ Care
California gets the lion’s share of funding for a program that critics say leads to ‘anchor babies.’
Feds Blame Mississippi Governor For Exchange Denial
One, Mississippi has become No, Mississippi. The Obama administration on Friday offered an explanation for why it rejected Mississippi’s bid to establish a state-based online health insurance marketplace, called One, Mississippi. In a letter, the federal government’s top exchange official said they had no choice because Gov. Phil Bryant would not allow the exchange to work with […]
HHS Delays Basic Health Plan Option Until 2015
The Obama administration has delayed by one year the rollout of a health program aimed at low to moderate-income people who won’t qualify for the expanded Medicaid program under the federal health law. Under the so-called Basic Health Program, some states had planned to offer government insurance to people who don’t qualify for Medicaid, but […]
Feds Help States Qualify For More Medicaid Dollars
The Obama administration on Friday released guidance to states on how they can increase their Medicaid funding by eliminating copays for certain preventive services, including immunizations. The provision of the Affordable Care Act was slated to take effect Jan. 1. States that implement the changes can apply for the funding retroactive to that date. The specified preventive services […]
Tick, Tock: Administration Misses Some Health Law Deadlines
Programs to increase fees to Medicaid primary care doctors and to entice states to eliminate some Medicaid copays are delayed as feds focus on insurance markets.
Report: States Making It Easier To Apply For Medicaid
Despite the reluctance of some Republican governors to expand Medicaid next year under the 2010 health law, most governors are making it easier for people to apply for coverage in the state-federal program for the poor, according to a study released today. Residents of 37 states — four more than the year before — can now apply […]
Cracks Appearing In GOP Opposition To Health Law
In Mississippi, Republican leaders split on state insurance marketplace dubbed “One, Mississippi.”
Insurers Prod Doctors, Hospitals To Stop Elective Early Deliveries
Medicaid and private insurers seek to reduce deliveries before 39 weeks to reduce complications and costs.
Utah, HHS Quibble Over Best Way To Run State Insurance Market
The Obama administration says it is bending over backwards to help states carry out the federal health law. Utah’s top health insurance exchange official says the federal government could do more. “There’s hasn’t been much dialogue,” said Patty Conner, director of the Utah Health Exchange, which recently rebranded itself Avenue H. She hopes federal health officials […]
Connecticut, The Insurance Capital, Moves Ahead With Exchange Plans
Five health plans — including all the major insurers in the state’s individual and small group markets — have told Connecticut’s health insurance exchange that they plan to offer policies in the state’s new online marketplace this fall. Exchange officials said Monday that Aetna, United Healthcare, Anthem, ConnectiCare and a new nonprofit co-op owned by the Connecticut […]
Rural Hospitals Get Relief In Fiscal Cliff Deal
It’s not just another New Year’s Day in Wellsville, N.Y., as rural hospitals get financial relief from Congress.
Today’s Exchange Surprise: Republican-Led Utah Gets Thumbs Up From HHS
The Obama administration’s announcement Thursday that it has given Utah a conditional okay to run its own state health insurance marketplace came as a surprise to many exchange watchers. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, a Republican, had resisted making major changes to the state’s existing market, which was built before passage of the health care law […]
Fiscal Deal Kills New Funding For Health Law’s Co-Ops
Going, going, gone. The fiscal cliff deal, approved by Congress on New Year’s Day, eliminates most of the more than $1.4 billion in remaining funding from the federal health law for new nonprofit, customer-owned health plans designed to compete against the major for-profit insurers. That means the Obama administration won’t be able to approve loans […]
Health Law Seen Boosting Xerox, HP
Data companies are poised to profit from the expansion of Medicaid.
Facing Deadline, Most States Say No To Running Their Own Insurance Exchanges
Updated at 5:35 p.m. The Obama administration will have to build and operate online health insurance markets for more than 30 states, something few expected when the federal health law was approved in 2010. With today’s deadline hours away, only 18 states and the District of Columbia had proposed running their own insurance markets, also known […]
Obama Administration Grilled About Insurance Markets In House Hearing
It was akin to being called to the principal’s office to find out why the pupil was late with her homework. Top Obama administration officials were called before a House subcommittee Thursday to answer questions about the implementation of the president’s landmark health law, and what Republicans say is a lack of clarity over how […]
HHS Tells States It Will Not Fund Partial Medicaid Expansion
In a letter to governors, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says states that expand Medicaid must cover people making up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level to get enhanced funding.
What Sea World, Universal Studios And The Zoo Can Teach Health Care Executives
Thousands of health care administrators, policy experts and practitioners will gather in Orlando this week for the 24th annual Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s national forum — akin to a pilgrimmage to Mecca for those passionate about making health care safer and more efficient. Besides featuring experts such as former CMS Administrator Donald Berwick, the curriculum includes visits to Sea World, Universal […]
