Latest Daily Edition Stories
More Consumers Rolling Dice And Going With Bare Bones Plans As Substitute For ACA Coverage
Most people who are going with the fixed indemnity plans — which aren’t considered true insurance under the health law — are healthy and willing to bet they won’t be hit with high medical bills anytime soon. Meanwhile, Democrats on Capitol Hill have introduced a public option plan that, though it has almost no chance of passing at the moment, reinforces the party’s push toward more universal coverage.
GOP Candidates Shy Away From Once-Favorite ‘Repeal And Replace’ Talking Point
After years of using the health law as a rallying cry with voters, Republican candidates are keeping quiet on the topic. “Yeah, we probably can’t talk credibly about repeal and replace anymore,” said Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.).
Administration Relaxes Essential Benefits Regulations, Creates New Mandate Exemptions
Overall, the Trump administration’s rules addressing the standards for insurers planning to participate in health law marketplaces give more control and further flexibility over to states.
California Leads Coalition Of States To Intervene In Texas Suit That Challenges Health Law
“It is a legally unsound action, and it is a dangerous action for millions of Americans who left the bad days of pre-existing conditions and the inability to get care for their children,” California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said of the Texas lawsuit that is challenging the constitutionality of the health law saying the mandate no longer counts as a tax.
In all, 11.8 million people signed up for coverage through the marketplaces, down about 400,000 from last year. And while premiums did spike, subsidized consumers are actually paying less because of an odd quirk that came about after the Trump administration cut off payments to insurers.
Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), both known for their ability to craft bipartisan deals, have been working on health law stabilization measures for months. And then it turned sour. Politico looks at what happened. Meanwhile, Americans have ranked health care as one of their top concerns.
Lawmakers Unveil Major Legislative Push On Health Care Aimed At Increasing Coverage, Reducing Costs
Lawmakers late Friday released 14 bills they’re expected to promote as a package this year, because Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon has shelved protential single-payer legislation.
Congress Staves Off Third Government Shutdown Of Year With Late Night Vote On $1.3T Spending Deal
A measure to stabilize the health law marketplace was not included in the final deal, but medical research, addiction treatment and mental health care won big gains.
Bipartisan Health Law Stabilization Measure Shut Out Of $1.3 Trillion Spending Bill
In the early days of negotiations, there was hope that the legislation would make it into the final budget bill, but anti-abortion language became a deal-breaker for both sides. Lawmakers who worked on the package expressed their disappointment “that an opportunity to lower health insurance rates by up to 40 percent for working Americans has turned into a debate about the mechanics of funding for abortion coverage.” Outlets look at what else made it into the spending bill.
Insurers’ Financial Well-Being Has Improved After Rocky First Years Of Health Law, Report Finds
Industry officials, however, say the health of a company can’t be judged by stock prices alone, and many of the biggest publicly traded companies have pulled back on the individual insurance market. Meanwhile, Democrats are getting ready to use expected premium increases against Republicans in the midterms.
