Nationwide, the week started badly for Obamacare and plunged downhill from there.
In Connecticut, whose insurance exchange Access Health CT continues to roll along quite smoothly, officials worked all week to determine how to react to the president’s proposal that insurers be allowed to renew policies in 2014 even if they don’t comply with the Affordable Care Act. Obama’s plan was in response to the anger of millions of policyholders whose health plans are being canceled.
Mirror writers recounted the process (reporting other developments, too).
Monday: Insurance Commissioner Thomas Leonardi says the president’s plan wouldn’t save most health policies canceled in Connecticut.
Tuesday: Most of the Obamacare insurance plans are attracting older customers in Connecticut.
Wednesday:
- Leonardi and other state officials face many options and challenges in deciding whether to allow people to keep their plans after they were to be canceled by insurers.
- Obama calls a group of state insurance officials – including Leonardi — to the White House to discuss the president’s proposal.
- Gov. Malloy publicly berates the White House for its “botched” rollout of the ACA and of all of its attempted fixes.
Thursday: Aetna says it has discontinued 12,500 policies.
Friday:
- Given how badly Washington has done in launching the ACA, consumers worry about the government’s ability to pay the subsidies it’s promised on time.
- Malloy says the state won’t permit insurers to extend their health policies that are now set to expire, but says it will extend Access Health CT’s deadline, by a week, for people to get coverage that will start Jan. 1.
- Just how many plans have been canceled in Connecticut, and which insurer has canceled them?
The Mirror’s entire week’s report is available at www.ctmirror.org. But here are a few stories you shouldn’t miss:
- The new president of the state and community college system is starting to discuss his plans to, among other things, increase enrollment. AND – the 16 campuses in the system need $836 million just to catch up on needed renovations.
- The Connecticut Sentencing Commission is struggling to hit a balance between “justice and redemption” for juvenile offenders.
- For the first time in 4 years, the state’s unemployment rate drops below 8 percent.
Have a great Thanksgivukkah. (Or is that Menurkey?)
Jenifer Frank
Editor