WASHINGTON — With uncertainty threatening the Affordable Care Act, states including Connecticut are making attempts — some more extensive than others — to keep insurers in their health care exchanges.
Affordable Care Act
Posted inHealth, Politics
Malloy objects to mandate on coverage for pregnant women
A bipartisan Senate bill intended to protect women’s health coverage if requirements in the Affordable Care Act are repealed now faces a potential rewrite in the House or a veto by a Gov. Dannel P. Malloy eager to show that Connecticut is sensitive to the needs of its insurance industry.
Posted inHealth
Connecticut Senate takes out insurance against ACA’s repeal
The Connecticut Senate voted unanimously early Friday morning to essentially take out an insurance policy to protect women and children against the possibility President Donald Trump succeeds in repealing or significantly weakening the Affordable Care Act.
Posted inHealth, Politics
With Obamacare at risk in CT, 73K could lose subsidies
WASHINGTON — Connecticut is among several states in danger of losing all of the insurers who participate in their Affordable Care Act exchanges – a move that would leave tens of thousands of state residents scrambling for coverage and ways to pay for it. Insurers say chaos in Washington, D.C., is to blame.
Posted inHealth, Politics
CBO: GOP health bill’s impact on CT, other states would vary widely
WASHINGTON — An analysis of the likely impact of the final House GOP bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act says it would leave an additional 23 million uninsured by 2026 and reduce the federal deficit by $119 billion over the next decade.
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CT senators blame Trump for ‘sabotaging’ Obamacare
WASHINGTON — Connecticut’s Democratic senators, joined by a colleague from Maryland, on Thursday slammed the Trump administration for trying to “sabotage” the Affordable Care Act and demolish a health care system that has extended insurance coverage to millions of Americans. Republicans say the ACA is collapsing on its own.
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Access Health extends insurers’ deadline to decide on 2018
“We are hoping this extra time will allow the carriers to resolve any issues about working in our exchange,” Access Health CEO Jim Wadleigh said.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Senate considers stripping states like CT of abortion coverage option
WASHINGTON — As Senate Republicans meet behind closed doors this week to craft their bill to replace the Affordable Care Act, one of the most contentious issues is how it will affect the abortion coverage millions of American women now have as part of their health insurance policies. The American Health Insurance Act approved by the House severely restricts this coverage.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Health insurers seek big rate hikes, blame Obamacare’s uncertain future
WASHINGTON — The state’s health insurers are asking for sizeable rate increases for individual and small-business policies sold in 2018, led by Anthem, which is seeking an average 33.8 percent increase on plans covering individuals and their families.
Posted inHealth, Politics
CT Dems decry House GOP victory on health bill that may stumble in Senate
WASHINGTON — House Republicans on Thursday finally won approval for a health care bill aimed at repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, but the legislation faces an uncertain future in the Senate, which may not be able to take it up for weeks. Connecticut Democrats called the health care bill “appalling” and “immoral” and said the GOP would pay a political price.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Insurers: Trump hasn’t committed to payments that would keep them in ACA exchanges
WASHINGTON — Despite reports to the contrary, President Donald Trump has not committed to making payments that insurers like Anthem say are needed for them to consider staying in Access Health CT and other state health insurance exchanges.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Access Health CEO worried remaining insurers will quit exchange
“Over the last five years Connecticut has been seen as a leader in the rollout of the Affordable Care Act, and I’m worried that we could be seen as the first marketplace not to have carriers in 2018,” Wadleigh said.
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Up for re-election, Murphy says he’s focused on activism, not campaigning
WASHINGTON — Despite the advantage President Donald Trump’s political gaffes may give them, many Senate Democrats face tough re-elections next year, but Chris Murphy isn’t one of them. The senator, who is defending what is considered a safe seat, says he won’t begin running for re-election in earnest until next year and for now prefers to invest in grassroots activism instead.
Posted inHealth, Politics
House GOP plans health care bill showdown next week
WASHINGTON — House GOP leaders hope to have another showdown over their plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act next week, but the legislation may still lack the votes it needs for approval. And Democrats like Sen. Chris Murphy, who called it “a piece of garbage,” said changes aimed at broadening support for the bill have only made the legislation worse.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Aetna to quit Iowa’s ACA exchange, may leave all others
WASHINGTON — Aetna announced Thursday it is leaving Iowa’s Affordable Care Act marketplace and is considering abandoning the three remaining state exchanges it sells policies in this year. Aetna’s is the latest in a steady drip-drip-drip of announcements from insurers about their concerns over staying in the ACA’s state exchanges.