A deeply diluted version of a public option health care bill moved through the House Tuesday, drawing bipartisan support but abandoning its ambitious goals.
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Posted inHealth
Murphy introduces ‘Medicare for more’ health plan option
WASHINGTON — Sen. Chris Murphy on Wednesday introduced legislation that would allow individuals and businesses to purchase Medicare coverage. Murphy and co-sponsor Sen. Jeff Merkley say there’s little chance of immediate passage of the bill, but say there is a need for public discussion on ways to shore up the Affordable Care Act.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Trump health plan gets mixed reviews in CT
WASHINGTON — Connecticut officials have joined a pushback against a Trump administration plan to allow unrelated employers to band together so they can provide their employees affordable — but perhaps limited — health care, while others in the state are celebrating the move.
Posted inHealth, Politics
CT Dems say Trump ‘sabotaged’ ACA, ensuring rise in premiums
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Friday he will end payments reimbursing insurers for lowering out-of-pocket costs for the poorest Americans, provoking cries of Affordable Care Act “sabotage” from Democrats and ensuring health insurance rates will rise for many Americans next year.
Posted inHealth, Politics
CT’s Wade weighs in with Obamacare fixes
As a key U.S. Senate panel continues to seek a bipartisan fix for the Affordable Care Act, the Connecticut Insurance Department weighed in with its suggestions, including allowing people to buy a new, cheaper, “copper-level” plan with fewer benefits and higher out-of-pocket costs.
Posted inHealth, Politics
CBO: Obamacare repeal bill would result in 32 million additional uninsured
WASHINGTON — Federal auditors said Wednesday a Senate plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement would increase the number of uninsured by 17 million next year and by 32 million in 2026.
Posted inHealth, Politics
McConnell tweaks health care bill to win conservative support
WASHINGTON — Sen. Mitch McConnell rolled out a new health care bill that is broadly similar to the one that foundered in the Senate last month, but contains a few new provisions aimed at winning over recalcitrant Republican senators. The new bill was excoriated by Connecticut Democrats, and increased Democratic opposition to the effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Insurers: Repeal of ACA should go slowly, keep subsidies awhile
WASHINGTON – As Republicans in Congress begin work on a repeal of the Affordable Care Act, the nation’s health insurers are telling lawmakers to keep paying subsidies to the companies and to low-income Americans so they can afford coverage. Insurers are also asking that Congress create a long transition period before changes to the ACA take effect.
Posted inPolitics
As ACA faces new challenges, fixes not assured
WASHINGTON — The Affordable Care Act is facing more challenges than at any time since its initial enrollment period in 2013, when the program was bedeviled by technical glitches. Besides rising premiums and fewer choices in Connecticut and elsewhere, there’s uncertainty a new Congress and a new administration will make fixes to the ACA that will improve its health.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Aetna-Humana, Anthem-Cigna facing different merger obstacles
WASHINGTON – So far, Aetna appears to be clearing the regulatory and antitrust hurdles it faces to merge with Humana more easily, while Anthem’s proposed marriage to Cigna has faced more troubles. Neither has yet cleared the hurdle of antitrust approval from the U.S. Justice Department.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Aetna, Anthem merger plans under scrutiny, again, by Congress
WASHINGTON – Members of both political parties expressed increasing skepticism Tuesday when they continued their scrutiny of the proposed mergers of insurance giants Aetna and Humana and Anthem and Cigna.
Posted inHealth, Politics
For insurers, Supreme Court could demolish a growing line of business
Washington – The nation’s health insurers, including leading companies like Aetna, are hoping the Supreme Court does not strike down a provision of the Affordable Care Act that has brought them millions of new policyholders and provided new growth opportunities for the industry.
Posted inHealth
GAO: CT small businesses paid more than most others for health care
WASHINGTON – Federal researchers have determined that Connecticut’s small businesses and non-profits pay more than those in nearly every other state – except Alaska – to provide health care coverage to their workers.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Will Malloy spend Connecticut’s shaky surplus on election-year tax cut?
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy finally has a chance to trumpet a large budget surplus, even though much of it stands on shaky underpinnings. And Republicans suspect the Democratic governor will use it next month to pay for an election-year tax cut — even though a larger deficit has been forecast for just a year from now.