State knew of increased health care costs months before higher premiums were approved, Health care inflation is coming for Biden, Dems lose key piece of health agenda in spending bill, Top Biden officials press insurers on contraceptive coverage, An Obamacare fiasco could blow up on Democrats right before the midterms, Covid funding inaction threatens fragile progress on racial, economic disparities. Gov. Still, these plans come with a dose of "buyer beware." While the image the . Louise Norris is an individual health insurance broker who has been writing about health insurance and health reform since 2006. Even so, more people than he expected are not returning renewal forms. It hasnt worked as planned. Democracy Forward, which is representing the plaintiffs in the case, explained that Georgias 1332 waiver will do immense damage to Georgias health insurance market, force Georgians to shop for insurance through private brokers and insurance companies, lead more residents to enroll in junk plans, and increase premiums.. Tags: Biden, COBRA, Medicaid work requirements, open enrollment, premium subsidies. Upstart insurance company Friday Health Plans will be placed under state supervision due to its lack of funds, the Georgia Department of Insurance announced this week . But after Friday, enrollment in those states will only be possible for people who experiencea qualifying event (and most qualifying events require that the person already had minimum essential coverage within the prior 60 days). May 24 2023 // In its first month of reviews, South Dakota ended coverage for 10% of all Medicaid and CHIP enrollees in the state. So it fails really in all ways.. Harmatz said some cancellation notices in Florida are vague and could violate due process rules. State Rep. Ed Clere, a Republican, expressed dismay at those staggering numbers in a May 24 Medicaid advisory group meeting, repeatedly questioning state officials about forms mailed to out-of-date addresses and urging them to give people more than two weeks notice before canceling their coverage. Bidens American Recovery Plan encompasses far more than just health coverage. Last fall, the Trump administration published the proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2022. In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided COBRA subsidies, which could serve as a model for how a new round of COBRA subsidies might work. News - AHIP New HHS Report Shows National Uninsured Rate Reached All-Time Low in Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, It was a holiday reunion for a family split between L.A. and Hawaii. Last Friday, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association announced that it was suspending political contributions to lawmakers who voted to undermine our democracy, referring to the members who challenged the electoral college results from the November presidential election. This article is based on reporting that features expert sources. By MEGAN MESSERLY and ALICE MIRANDA OLLSTEIN, Florida Republicans hand DeSantis first major legislative win. Global Weekly News Roundup May 29- June 02, 2023. . But the remaining 600,000 living in states not expected to step in would lose their health insurance entirely, the CBO said. Consumer experts are warning patients that some offerings charge much higher interest rates than regular credit cards. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) dominates the health insurance industry and regulates coverage for around 139 million Americans in 2.5 million health plans, making . Lawmakers press Newsom to spend health insurance penalties - Los Newsom, now in his second term, has since backed off that promise. Please provide your zip code to see plans in your area. One official responded that theyll learn and improve over time. If you have insurance that you cant afford to use, or youre afraid to go see the doctor because of how high that bill might be, then you dont truly have access or universal coverage.. Notably: Many of the proposed rule changes are still under consideration and were not finalized last week, including the premium adjustment percentage (which would affect maximum out-of-pocket amounts and the affordability threshold for catastrophic plan eligibility), special enrollment periods when employer COBRA subsidies cease or a person loses eligibility for premium subsidies, and a rule change that would permanently allow insurers to issue MLR rebates earlier in the year. Georgia is the . The Scoop: health insurance news January 13, 2021, Employer Health Plan Affordability Calculator, Open enrollment for 2021 coverage ends Friday in CO, CT, PA, NV, and WA, Exchange enrollment has already surpassed last years total, HHS extends public health emergency through mid-April, Tennessees Medicaid block grant waiver approved, CMS auditing hospitals for compliance with new price transparency requirements, Legislation in Minnesota would expand MinnesotaCare, create a public option, Utah Insurance Department proposes new minimum standards for short-term health plans, BCBS Association suspends contributions to members of Congress who voted to reject electoral college results, still underway in ten states and Washington, DC, special enrollment period for uninsured Maryland residents, cannot disenroll people from their Medicaid programs, expands access to telehealth and reduces reporting burdens for hospitals, seeking approval to transition to a block grant funding approach, how much impact the transparency rules will actually have, proposed new minimum standards for short-term health insurance coverage, the first major healthcare group to take this step, including PhRMA, and to a lesser degree, Cigna, COVID-19: State and federal efforts to improve access to testing, treatment, and health coverage. Buglewicz for The Washington Post via Getty Images file, Sergey Tinyakov / Getty Images/iStockphoto, Jeffrey Greenberg / Universal Images Group via Getty Images file, Shahrzad Elghanayan / NBC News; Getty Images, Former first lady Rosalynn Carter is diagnosed with dementia, Couples 55 and older will be able to contribute more than $10,000 to health savings accounts, The debt ceiling debate could put health insurance in jeopardy for millions, Appeals court pauses ruling that could end Obamacare's preventive care mandate, Stressed out and burned out: Younger nurses feel strain of nursing shortage, Susan Rice to step down as Biden's domestic policy chief, Millions expected to lose dental care coverage after Medicaid review, Two transgender rights cases will be heard by full U.S. appeals court, DOJ seeks pause of ruling that struck down Obamacare preventive care requirements, Fast closures of nursing homes in Massachusetts raise alarms and worry over patients, Senator wants answers about for-profit Iowa hospital where a nurse assaulted unconscious female patients, Senate Democrats ask military to protect abortion access for service members, Iowa enacts transgender bathroom bill and ban on gender-affirming care for minors, Lawmakers seek info into unsafe conditions at Florida hospital after NBC News investigation, Biden outlines Medicare proposals aimed at shoring up funding, Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. hospitalized patients experience harmful events, study finds, Thousands of nurses go on strike at 2 of NYC's largest hospitals, More families are facing prescription drug price shocks, even for lifesaving children's medications. Now 3 are dead and 2 missing, Deal extends L.A. school year, restores 3-week winter break, Fight erupts at anti-Pride Day protest outside L.A. school where trans teachers flag was burned, 50 years after a classmates slaying, three amateur sleuths set out to find her killer, Celebs dodged millions in L.A.s mansion tax. Meet the industry guarding their wealth, Ex-NFL player thought Shark Tank would launch his barbecue empire. KFF Health News sought data from the 19 states that started cancellations by May 1. Interviews, news, and commentary from NPR's correspondents. AHIPs Health Coverage: State-to-State details the important role health plans play in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Join the next generation of health insurance provider leaders, AHIP monitors and advocates on a range of important health care issues. Gavin Newsom took office four years ago, the Democrat went after Republicans on the national stage as they sought to gut the Affordable Care Act. More:The COVID public health emergency is over in the US. The ongoing public health emergency which was first declared in January 2020 and extended several times since then plays a key role in various rules related to health insurance coverage. Becoming a solo entrepreneur in the years after leaving an employer can give your Social Security benefit and savings a boost. That is infuriating fellow Democrats who accuse him of breaking a promise and disregarding the millions of Californians who cant afford their deductibles and copays. Best's News | Insurance Industry Headlines from AM Best More than 600,000 Americans have lost Medicaid coverage since pandemic protections ended on April 1. Legislation was also introduced in Rhode Island last week that calls for the creation of a special legislative commission that would study how the state might go about implementing a single-payer Medicare-for-All type of health coverage program in Rhode Island. May 18, 2023, 7:22 AM PDT By Shannon Pettypiece WASHINGTON As Republicans and Democrats debate a plan to raise the nation's debt ceiling, millions of Americans who rely on Medicaid for their. States will continue to receive additional federal matching funds for Medicaid through June 2021, and cannot disenroll people from their Medicaid programs during the COVID emergency period, unless the person moves out of state or requests a coverage termination. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) The North Carolina legislature gave final approval Tuesday to a bill allowing the state's leading health insurance provider to restructure despite criticisms from the state insurance commissioner that it would erode his regulatory authority and undermine his ability to protect consumers.. Jun 1, 2023. the Congressional Budget Office estimated last month. Every data point shows that, and it helps people move forward, said House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Tuesday. A number of groups would be exempt, including people under 19 years old or over 56, those who are going to school at least part-time or who are pregnant or deemed by a doctor to be physically or mentally unfit for employment. Also exempt from the work requirement would be people participating in a drug or alcohol program and those caring for a dependent child or an incapacitated person.. Even after being disenrolled, many still have a 90-day window to restore coverage. Learn the ins and outs of Medicare coverage with the basics of Medicare guide from U.S. News. But there is little evidence to suggest work requirements for Medicaid recipients would have a benefit, and Democrats have said other factors aside from work requirements are largely responsible for improving economic outcomes since they were first put in place during welfare reform in the 1990s. Hospital compliance is expected to ramp up in the coming weeks, but a lot remains to be seen in terms of how much impact the transparency rules will actually have on consumer decision-making. High cancellation rates in those states should level out as the agencies move on to people who likely still qualify. Rep. Shultz published an op-ed in the Minnesota Reformer last week, outlining her goals for health care reform and the incremental steps that Minnesota could take to make coverage and care more accessible and affordable in the state. AbbVie for years delayed competition for its blockbuster drug Humira, at the expense of patients and taxpayers. The state of health care, health insurance, new medical research, disease prevention, and drug treatments. California began fining the uninsured in 2020, raising an estimated $1.1 billion over the first three years and the Newsom administration projects it will bring in more than $700 million more over the next two years, bringing the projected five-year total to $1.8 billion, according to the state Department of Finance. This penalty money should be used to help Californians afford coverage and care.. In California, state officials announced Tuesday that rates would increase an average of 6% next year for the 1.7 million people who purchase coverage through Covered California, the state-operated health insurance marketplace. The debt ceiling debate could put health insurance in - NBC News A total of 542 comments were submitted to CMS regarding the proposed rule changes for 2022. We need to make sure people not only have health coverage, but that they can also afford to actually use it, said Ronald Coleman Baeza, a healthcare lobbyist with the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network. One insurer denied 49% of claims in 2021; another's turndowns hit an astonishing 80% in 2020. Another, from Antidote Health, isn't insurance, but offers access to online-only primary care for a small monthly fee. It just creates a lot of red tape for folks who are mostly already working, and it doesnt actually help to increase employment, Harker said. State and federal health insurance news headlines. And the Biden administration is very unlikely to approve any additional waivers, meaning that Missouris legislation is likely a non-starter for the time being, even if its enacted. Dec. 22, 2022, at 9:52 a.m. | Image: Alexander Raths / stock.adobe.com. Some people dropped from Medicaid will have to forgo filling prescriptions and cancel doctor visits because they cant afford care. But you'd have to . The wide-ranging $1.9 trillion proposal, which would have to be approved by Congress, calls for premium tax credits to be increased to lower or eliminate health insurance premiums and to cap any enrollees after-subsidy premium at no more than 8.5 percent of their income. Under the terms of the bill, non-exempt Medicaid enrollees would have to work (or participate in various other community engagement activities, including volunteering, school, job training, etc.) He has said including those work provisions in a debt ceiling bill was a red line for him. HF11 would also create a public option, via MinnesotaCare buy-in, for people with income above 200 percent of the poverty level, with a sliding fee scale for premiums. She has written dozens of opinions and educational pieces about the Affordable Care Act for healthinsurance.org. Health Insurance: Latest News, Top Stories & Analysis - POLITICO Health Insurance News, Analysis and Opinion from POLITICO Florida Florida Republicans hand DeSantis first major. Pritzker Hails Bills to Convert Health Care Marketplace, Reform Rate Review Jun 01, 2023 11:51 AM (EDT) . Advocacy coalitions in both Florida and Arkansas also have called for investigations into the review process and a pause on cancellations. Because each state is handling the unwinding differently, the share of enrollees dropped in the first weeks varies widely. Federal officials are investigating those complaints and any other problems that emerge, said Dan Tsai, director of the Center for Medicaid & CHIP Services. AHIP is your source for the latest health policy news and information, fact sheets, press releases, expert interviews, in-depth reports, and more. Diana Douglas, a lobbyist with Health Access California, which was part of the coalition that backed the states coverage mandate in 2019, said Newsom must recognize soaring costs and spend the money now on affordability assistance. 10 Sep 2021 06:02AM. And while agencies are required to assist enrollees who dont speak English well, many are sending the forms in only a few common languages. Federal law requires states to tell people why theyre losing Medicaid coverage and how to appeal the decision. Florida also planned to push kids with serious health conditions and other vulnerable groups to the end of the review line. At Health Affairs, Katie Keith has an excellent in-depth analysis of the partial final rule. Democratic lawmakers press Newsom to spend millions from health insurance fines. It was a tough sell for a new governor, and Newsom needed strong allies among state Democratic leaders, who at the time, in 2019, voiced concern about essentially levying a new tax on Californians unable to afford the rising cost of healthcare. Six major medical groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association, issued a statement opposing Medicaid work requirements, arguing it would increase medical debt for patients and add barriers to care while driving up costs for states and not improving employment rates. The Scoop: health insurance news January 20, 2021, Employer Health Plan Affordability Calculator, President Bidens American Recovery Plan calls for additional premium subsidies and COBRA subsidies, Open enrollment for 2021 coverage ends Saturday in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Partial 2022 health insurance rules finalized by outgoing Trump administration, Lawsuit filed to block Georgias plan to eliminate its health insurance exchange, Bills introduced in Virginia to eliminate current ban on abortion coverage on marketplace plans, and study infertility coverage mandate, Legislation introduced in Maryland and Rhode Island to create universal health care commissions, Legislation introduced in Missouri calls for a Medicaid work requirement as of 2022, Uncompensated care funding in Florida and Texas extended through 2030, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided COBRA subsidies, summarized several of the proposed rule changes, an excellent in-depth analysis of the partial final rule, approved Georgias 1332 waiver proposal to transition away from HealthCare.gov, Virginia Health Insurance Reform Commission, COVID-19: State and federal efforts to improve access to testing, treatment, and health coverage. Get prepared for your next hospital stay with this comprehensive checklist of essential items to pack in your hospital bag. Health Care | The Latest News on Health Care - U.S. News & World Report Now it's struggling to survive. If a person requests a hearing before their cancellation takes effect, they can stay covered during the appeals process. Medical Costs to Expect in Retirement Getty Images Settling into retirement is meant to be a happy. State and federal health insurance news headlines. You may submit your information through this form, or call to speak directly with licensed enrollers who will provide advice specific to your situation. Claims Journal 2022 Top Stories Include Busy Lawyers, Crooked Doctors and Shifty Adjusters New York Fines Health Insurer $4.5M for Data Breach that Exposed Private Data Popular Videos Drugs Clere warned that the cancellations set in motion an avoidable revolving door. Insurance News Headlines Ruben Castaneda and Christina PratherApril 5, 2023. In Arkansas, about 40% were kids. The individual mandate was not intended to create funds for other government programs outside of healthcare, said Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg), chair of the Assembly Health Committee, at a heated budget hearing this spring. Tech & Science Biden's COVID Plan Could Lead to Soaring Rates of Vaccine Fatigue Concerns about vaccine uptake have been voiced as the government could soon stop buying shots, leading to their. Seek help its likely available. The requirements could also threaten coverage for people who are working the required hours or should be exempt if they arent communicated clearly and the reporting is too onerous, said Laura Harker, a senior policy analyst with the left-leaning Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. Jargon alert: How doctors speak could cause 'harm' for patients. And open enrollment is still ongoing in ten states and Washington, DC (plus a special enrollment period for uninsured Maryland residents). Developers are working with health care providers to add psychiatric hospitals, addiction recovery centers and other behavioral health clinics. His administration defended the push to funnel money into the general fund, saying revenues would be repaid to a special health fund and be available to use on healthcare eventually, if the federal government cuts back existing premium subsidies. Legislation has also been introduced in Virginia that would direct the Virginia Health Insurance Reform Commission to conduct a study on the impacts of requiring health insurance plans in the state to cover infertility treatment. Weve always felt that the money is meant to bring insurance costs down, said Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), chair of the Budget Committee. Local governments, short on money after three years of zero Covid and faced with many more retirees, are raising costs and overhauling benefits. That tells us that we need to change up our strategy, said Lipman. There was a clear commitment that these dollars were going to be used to bring down heathcare costs, and we havent done it, said Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo, a Democrat representing the Santa Clarita Valley, who introduced a bill that would require any revenue raised from the individual mandate be permanently set aside for healthcare. Others have since announced similar decisions, including PhRMA, and to a lesser degree, Cigna. 644 would help to connect unemployed California residents with health coverage resources - including Medi-Cal or marketplace coverage. With respect to Medicare: We do not offer every plan available in your area. The company is the third of the three major insulin manufacturers that dominate the U.S. market to announce such a move this month. For those who lose coverage, they will still need medical care and the costs would have to be borne elsewhere in the health care system, like by hospitals or health clinics providing free or low-cost care, physician groups and health economists said. The monopoly is about to end. 8 states and Washington, D.C. Lipman, the states Medicaid director, said his biggest worry is that a child will end up uninsured. Health Insurance | Latest & Breaking News on Health Insurance | Photos, Videos, Breaking Stories and Articles on Health Insurance you are here: Home News Health insurance Health. Adult coverage is determined by the state. Health Insurance news & latest pictures from Newsweek.com Legislation was introduced this month in Missouris Senate that calls for a Medicaid work requirement in the state, effective as of January 2022. They would be making good on a deal advocates secured with state Democratic lawmakers last year to reduce or eliminate out-of-pocket costs in Covered California and scrap deductibles entirely for a mid-tier plan. Subscribe for automatic Health Insurance alerts, sent straight to your inbox. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. This article was produced by KFF Health News, formerly known as Kaiser Health News, a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. The Medicaid proposal doesnt provide any additional funding for programs to help people get work, like job training or assistance for transportation and child care, and Medicaid dollars can only be used for health-related costs. New Hampshire has moved most families with children to the end of the review process. Last week, Planned Parenthood Southeast and Feminist Womens Health Center filed a lawsuit against HHS, CMS, the Department of the Treasury, and their respective leaders, alleging that the waiver was unlawfully approved and should be vacated. They would have been denied anyway. Nearly 250,000 Floridians reviewed in the first month of the unwinding lost coverage, 82% of them for reasons like incomplete paperwork, the state reported to federal authorities. While those individuals wouldnt qualify for federal Medicaid funding, states would have the option to use their own dollars to keep people in the program, something the CBO estimates a number of states would do, maintaining coverage for 900,000 people at a cost of about $65 billion over 10 years. But healthcare advocates who lobbied in favor of the fine, as well as many Democratic lawmakers, say the funds could be lifesaving and should be distributed now. We need to keep our promises, Schiavo said. For Republicans, the plan is part of a decadeslong push to link federal assistance to work requirements, while Democrats say the move would unfairly strip people of their health coverage and push more Americans into poverty. Although the incoming Biden administration can make changes to 1115 waivers via a review process, Margo Sanger-Katz reported last week that CMS has sent letters to all 45 states that have active waivers, asking them to sign contracts that would make it harder for a new administration to terminate waivers on a political whim.. Discover where to turn for safe and efficient transfer services and the best care. For the past three years, people have been told to ignore the mail around this, that the renewal was not going to lead to a termination. Suddenly that mail matters, he said. Here's what that means for you. When people lose coverage they still need to get health care, said Robin Rudowitz, director of the program on Medicaid and the uninsured at KFF, a health research nonprofit. Health Care : NPR How to Shop for Health Insurance Covering Mental Health - US News Health A survey by Covered California in 2022 found that 48% of its consumers delayed important medical care due to cost.
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