Archive for the ‘Pre-existing conditions’ Category
AHL’s TOP STORY: House GOP Fast-Tracking Bill To Redirect Funding Under ACA To Bolster Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan
House Republicans are fast-tracking a new bill (HR 1549) that would boost funding for the Affordable Care Act’s temporary high-risk insurance pool program and keep the program open through the end of this year, The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” reports. Read the rest of this entry »
AHL’s TOP STORY: HHS Releases Three New Rules Implementing ACA Provisions
The Obama administration yesterday proposed three rules outlining how provisions under the Affordable Care Act would work, the Washington Post reports. The three rules — one that prohibits insurers from discriminating against individuals with pre-existing conditions, another that establishes essential health benefits, and a third that expands employer-based wellness programs — are not yet final and will be open for comment until Dec. 26 (Aizenman, Washington Post, 11/20).
AHL’s TOP STORY: Insurers Likely To Focus on Patients With Costly Chronic Conditions After Overhaul Implementation
Health insurers are expected to begin more closely monitoring beneficiaries with costly chronic conditions after the federal health reform law is fully implemented in 2014, the New York Times reports. Read the rest of this entry »
AHL’s TOP STORY: Per-Person Cost of High-Risk Health Plan Twice as High as Estimates; 50K Now Enrolled
Health care costs for enrollees in the temporary high-risk insurance pools established by the federal health reform law are expected to be more than double initial predictions, according to a report released by the Obama administration, the Washington Post reports (Kliff, Washington Post, 2/23).
The report also found that between November 2010 and November 2011, enrollment in the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan increased by about 400% — helped by about 8,000 new applicants monthly in the second half of 2011 — to about 50,000 U.S. residents. That figure is well short of initial estimates by the CMS actuary, who predicted that 375,000 U.S. residents would enroll by the end of 2010 (Pecquet, “Healthwatch,” The Hill, 2/23). Read the rest of this entry »
HIGH-RISK POOLS: State-Run Pools Have More Enrollees Than Federally-Run Programs, Report Finds
States are more successful at enrolling U.S. residents in Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans under the federal health reform law, according to a Government Accountability Office report, The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” reports. As of April 30, the 27 states that operate their own pools had enrolled 15,781 individuals, compared with 5,673 enrollees in the federally-operated pool for the 23 other states and the District of Columbia (Pecquet, “Healthwatch,” The Hill, 8/26).
THE FRIDAY RUNDOWN: A Deal, Some Numbers and Some Hope
A debt deal that may or may not cut Medicare and Medicaid spending was signed this week, another survey was released on how employers will react to the federal health reform law, and states have started to lower premiums for the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan created by the overhaul in the hope that it will spur more enrollment.
Here’s what you need to know from the last week in health policy news.
Honey, You’re Hired
NPR’s “Shots” looks at a strategy for individual business owners to secure coverage for their spouses.
HEALTH REFORM: Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan Struggles To Attract Enrollees
The new government-sponsored high-risk health plans for individuals with pre-existing conditions has failed to attract the number of customers officials hoped for, leading the Obama administration and states to increase enrollment efforts, the Washington Post reports.
COVERAGE DENIALS: Up Nearly 50% for Individuals With Pre-Existing Conditions, House Panel Finds
Coverage denials for U.S. residents with pre-existing conditions increased by about 50% from 2007 to 2009, more than three times faster than the growth of coverage applications, according to a House Energy and Commerce Committee investigation report released on Tuesday, CongressDaily reports (McCarthy, CongressDaily, 10/12). The report found that four of the largest health insurers — Aetna, Humana, UnitedHealth Group and WellPoint — rejected more than 651,000 individual applications for health insurance coverage during the three-year period (Heavey, Reuters, 10/12).
