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Obamacare Tag

Posted by Mary Chastain on October 24, 2017 5 Comments
In August, Iowa officials submitted a request to make changes to its Obamacare market as it faced doom due to high premiums and insurance companies dropping out. Officials wanted to make changes that would "provide consumers with age- and income-based tax credits as well as using a reinsurance mechanism for insurers for costly medical claims. Now Governor Kim Reynolds (R) and Iowa Insurance Division Commissioner Doug Ommen have announced that the state withdrew its request since it "cannot be approved under terms that would be workable for Iowa."

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on October 13, 2017 64 Comments
Thursday, Trump issued an Executive Order directing federal agencies to draft new regulations allowing employers to form insurance offerings across state lines. Many contend opening up the marketplace will allow more employer flexibility, greater choice, and as a result, lower premiums. Before the ink had dried, a leaked report indicated Trump's plans to throw another blow at Obamacare, this time, by way of subsidy.

Posted by Mary Chastain on October 12, 2017 19 Comments
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to start loosening some rules associated with Obamacare after the Republican controlled Congress failed many times to repeal the healthcare law. From Fox News:
According to officials, Trump will direct the secretary of labor to consider expanding access to Association Health Plans, which could allow employers to form groups across state lines offering coverage. According to the White House, these plans could offer lower rates.

Posted by Mary Chastain on October 06, 2017 10 Comments
President Donald Trump's administration has decided to roll back a portion of Obamacare that mandates a private company must include birth control coverage in health insurance plans. From The Washington Examiner:
The new rules allow any employer to be exempt from the mandate "based on its sincerely held religious beliefs" or on "moral convictions." Employers who decide not to provide coverage do not need to inform the federal government but would need to tell their employees about their decision.

Posted by Mary Chastain on October 02, 2017 12 Comments
The Democrats have decided to use the GOP's attempts to repeal Obamacare to their advantage in 2018. From The Hill:
“I think the message is really simple here: As long as Republicans control Congress, your health care is on the chopping block,” said Tyler Law, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), House Democrats’ campaign arm.
One problem: The GOP has shown that despite having control of Congress, they have not been able to repeal Obamacare.

Posted by Mike LaChance on September 26, 2017 16 Comments
Bernie Sanders has been pushing his "Medicare for all" plan lately and lots of Democrats are jumping on board. Bernie and his allies even claim it will save money. If you don't believe them, you're not alone. In fact, the cost would be enormous.

Posted by Mary Chastain on September 25, 2017 22 Comments
Welp, Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) tried to change their Obamacare "repeal and replace" bill to appease those senators that opposed it...but it did not work. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) has come out and officially declared she would vote no on both versions of the bill.

Posted by Mary Chastain on September 25, 2017 16 Comments
Sens. Billy Cassidy (R-LA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) hope to pass their Obamacare "repeal and replace" bill by the end of the month, but have encountered opposition from a few in their own party. Sens. John McCain (AZ) and Rand Paul (KY) have already said no while Sens. Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK) remain on the fence. Even Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) has said "that he's not yet on board with the legislation." This has led to a few changes to the bill, which includes boosts for Arizona, Alaska, Kentucky, and Maine as a way to entice these senators to vote yes.

Posted by Mary Chastain on September 22, 2017 56 Comments
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) officially decided he will vote no on the Graham-Cassidy bill, which is the latest attempt the GOP has taken to repeal and replace Obamacare. From CNN:
"I cannot in good conscience vote for the Graham-Cassidy proposal," the Arizona Republican said in a statement. "I believe we could do better working together, Republicans and Democrats, and have not yet really tried. Nor could I support it without knowing how much it will cost, how it will effect insurance premiums, and how many people will be helped or hurt by it. Without a full CBO score, which won't be available by the end of the month, we won't have reliable answers to any of those questions."

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on September 18, 2017 21 Comments
Just last week, Bernie Sanders rolled out his Medicare for All bill. Sanders and the bill's advocates railed against the current healthcare system as ineffectual, forgetting (or hoping the public has forgotten) that it's the product of Democrat ideas and votes. In Sanders' fantasy world, single-payer system is the only cure for what ails the American healthcare system. Most of his Democratic Senate colleagues agree. They were wrong about Obamacare and what it would fix and they're wrong single-payer.

Posted by Mary Chastain on September 15, 2017 7 Comments
In August, health insurance company Anthem, the nation's second-largest health insurer, decided to leave Obamacare exchanges in Virginia due to "uncertainty about the future of Obamacare" due to "an unbalanced risk pool." Anthem changed its mind on Friday and has decided to stick it out in parts of the commonwealth that would have had no insurers for the residents.

Posted by Mary Chastain on September 15, 2017 13 Comments
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) announced today that he is very close to have the votes needed to repeal Obamacare with the bill he coauthored with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). From The Washington Times:
“We are thinking that we can get this done by Sept. 30,” Sen. Bill Cassidy, Louisiana Republican who co-wrote the bill with Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said Friday.

Posted by Mark Finkelstein on September 13, 2017 17 Comments
They can get you now, or get you later . . . Fifteen senators, including 2020 hopefuls like Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris, are co-sponsoring Bernie Sanders' single-payer health care bill. But even some of those not signing on have plans to eventually convert the country to single payer. On today's Morning Joe, Dem Senator Chris Murphy [CT] described his plan, which Politico has called "stealthy single-payer." Under it, people would be given the option of buying into Medicare or remaining with private insurance. Murphy expressed the belief that:

Posted by Mary Chastain on August 28, 2017 11 Comments
Northwell Health, New York's largest hospital network, has decided to stop selling Obamacare plans over....you guessed it...huge losses. From The New York Post:
Northwell Health (the former North Shore-Long Island Jewish Medical Center network ) blamed a flawed provision in the Affordable Care Act — and the lack of action in Washington to fix it — as the culprits for winding down its CareConnect insurance company.

Posted by Mary Chastain on August 23, 2017 6 Comments
Iowa has submitted a request to the federal government to make changes in a last ditch effort to save the state's beleaguered Obamacare market. From Quad-City Times:
This November, the majority of the 72,000 Iowans purchasing plans through the exchange will have only one option — Minnesota-based Medica. Last week, Medica asked the state for an average rate increase of 56.7 percent because of the uncertainty over cost-sharing reductions.
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