The Trump administration’s new rule allowing “short-term” insurance plans to be used for up to three years has touched off a big reaction in health policy circles. Supporters of the change say those who can no longer afford comprehensive health insurance will have the ability to purchase lesser but cheaper plans. But opponents worry that consumers who fail to read the fine print will end up with plans that won’t cover care they need.
Reaction is similarly divided over an administration rule change that will make it easier for managed-care plans participating in Medicare to negotiate the price of drugs provided in doctors’ offices or hospitals. Insurance groups call it a small but positive step; patient groups worry it will make it harder for those with serious medical problems to get the medication their doctors recommend.
This week’s panelists for KHN’s “What the Health?” are Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner.
Among the takeaways from this week’s podcast:
- The Trump administration says its promotion of short-term health plans is designed to help people who don’t get government subsidies find more affordable health coverage and will provide some help to people who are not going to buy a plan on the federal health insurance marketplaces anyway. But the policies tend to limit many types of care, such as maternity expenses, prescription drugs and mental health issues.
- In addition to concerns that these plans will destabilize the Affordable Care Act marketplaces, some consumer advocates say people looking at the plans don’t realize the extent to which they lack patient protections. For example, one may not cover hospital expenses if a patient is admitted over a weekend or pay for care needed for injuries if the patient was drunk.
- As part of the administration’s effort to meet President Donald Trump’s promise to curb prescription costs, federal officials announced this week that private Medicare Advantage plans can require patients being prescribed drugs from a doctor or in a hospital to first try the cheapest drug options. But some patient advocates object, saying consumers and their doctors should be able to decide what is the best therapy.
- The federal indictment announced this week against Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) renews questions about why a member of Congress with a large role in a biotech company was allowed to be a member of a House committee that oversees health issues. After the indictment, House Speaker Paul Ryan stripped Collins of his seat on the Energy and Commerce Committee.
- New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, surprised many people with his announcement that insurers would not be able to factor in to premium prices the expectation that fewer people will buy marketplace plans because the health law’s coverage penalties expire in 2019.
Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists recommend their favorite health stories of the week they think you should read, too:
Julie Rovner: NPR’s “Doctors With Disabilities Push For Culture Change In Medicine,” by Elana Gordon
Anna Edney: The Atlantic’s “Women More Likely to Survive Heart Attacks If Treated by Female Doctors,” by Ed Yong
Margot Sanger-Katz: ProPublica’s “The Shadow Rulers of the VA,” by Isaac Arnsdorf
Kimberly Leonard: The Washington Post’s “A Huge Clinical Trial Collapses, and Research on Alcohol Remains Befuddling,” by Joel Achenbach
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This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.