‘There Is Significant Risk Of Chaos’: Stability Of Industry Threatened By ‘Repeal And Replace’
Republicans' plans could disrupt insurance coverage for many more Americans than did the original law. Meanwhile, Mike Pence says Donald Trump will take on the health law right "out of the gate," but two conservative thinkers talk with Politico about how Trump's stance on health care is more of a wild card than some may think.
Los Angeles Times:
Republicans' Plans To Repeal Obamacare Could Be More Disruptive Than The Law Itself
In the summer of 2013, as state and federal officials readied new insurance marketplaces created through the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans started getting disquieting notices from their insurers. Health plans were being canceled because they didn’t comply with the law, often called Obamacare. Some 4 million people were ultimately told they would lose their plans. The ensuing outrage sparked a political firestorm, seriously eroded public confidence in Obamacare and forced an embarrassed President Obama to change federal regulations so people could keep their coverage. Yet that tumultuous episode could be dwarfed by what President-elect Donald Trump’s administration and its congressional allies unleash beginning next year. They plan to not only repeal the law but are contemplating changes that are significantly more far-reaching and could disrupt insurance coverage for many more Americans than did the original law. (Levey, 11/21)
Politico:
Obamacare Repeal Plan Stokes Fears Of Market Collapse
Republicans warned for years that Obamacare would blow up the nation's individual insurance market. Instead, their own rush to repeal the health care law may be what triggers that death spiral. GOP lawmakers say they plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act as soon as President-elect Donald Trump takes office, including a transition period of a year or two before it takes effect. That way, they satisfy their base while giving notice to 20 million Obamacare customers that they must find other coverage options. (Cancryn and Demko, 11/21)
California Healthline:
Uncertain Fate Of Health Law Giving Health Industry Heartburn
Six years into building its business around the Affordable Care Act, the nation’s $3 trillion health care industry may be losing that political playbook.Industry leaders, like many voters, were stunned by the election of Donald Trump and unprepared for Republicans’ plans to “repeal and replace” Obamacare. In addition, Trump’s vague and sometimes conflicting statements on health policy have left industry officials guessing as to the details of any substitute for the federal health law. (Rovner and Terhune, 11/21)
Politico:
Pence: Trump To Push Rapid Repeal Of Obamacare
President-elect Donald Trump will prioritize repealing President Barack Obama's landmark health care law right "out of the gate” once he takes office, Vice President-elect Mike Pence said Sunday. (Temple-West, 11/20)
Politico:
Why Trump Is The Wild Card On Obamacare
The House Speaker wants Obamacare dead. The House Budget Chairman — a leading candidate for HHS secretary — wants Medicare reform. But all the focus on Republicans' health strategies is ignoring the biggest elephant in the room: Donald Trump, a president-elect who's spent more than a year bucking congressional Republicans — and may not share their priorities, two leading conservative thinkers tell POLITICO's "Pulse Check" podcast. (Diamond, 11/18)
Vida En El Valle:
Covered California Tour Makes Stops In The Central Valley
As Covered California officials traveled throughout communities in the Central Valley last week to promote enrollment, one of their goals was to bring the spot light on the enrollment efforts at local level. “We are putting the spot light on the local efforts that are happening, not just here in Visalia, but throughout the Central Valley, throughout California,,” said Peter V. Lee, Covered California executive director. “We are actually making the (health) benefits real to millions of people.” Lee and other Covered California officials stopped in Visalia on Nov. 16 at one of the Family HealthCare Network’s locations as part of the third annual tour that started on Nov. 12 in Southern California and ended on Nov. 19 in Northern California. (Ortiz-Briones, 11/20)