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With less than a week to go before open enrollment for 2020 health insurance exchange coverage ends in most states, signups trail last year's totals by about 6%, the federal government said Wednesday. Roughly 3.9 million people enrolled in an Affordable Care Act exchange plan in the first six weeks of open enrollment, which ends on Dec. 15 for the states that use the federally operated HealthCare.gov. Plan selections have dropped about 250,000 over the same time in 2018. (Livingston, 12/11)

One of the most common questions Marian Talley gets when helping Mississippians sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act is “We still have Obamacare?” In June 2017, President Donald Trump promised voters he would “very, very quickly” repeal Obamacare. Two-and-a-half years later, the law remains largely intact, but the Trump administration has successfully chipped away at many of its tenets, from ending the requirement that all Americans have coverage and allowing new short-term plans to cutting funding for the navigators who help consumers sign up for insurance. (Campbell and Hensley, 12/11)

Californians must carry health insurance in 2020, or face a state-imposed penalty starting at $695 in 2021. Covered California and the California Franchise Tax Board are encouraging the state’s uninsured to enroll in a plan by Dec. 15. That’s the deadline for coverage that kicks in Jan. 1. The Covered California enrollment season lasts until Jan. 31. (Caiola, 12/11)

When it comes to December, you might think of Christmas or family get-togethers. But, you should be thinking about open enrollment. (Horn and Harper, 12/10)

Time is running out to sign up for health insurance through the state’s marketplace for next year. Open enrollment for the Washington Health Benefit Exchange closes at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15. If you select a plan by that deadline, your coverage will begin Jan. 1, 2020.For those who need help selecting a plan or navigating the enrollment process, Public Health – Seattle & King County is putting on events in Seattle, Federal Way, SeaTac, Tukwila and Vashon Island. Customers can shop for plans on the state’s Healthplanfinder website. (Blethen, 12/11)

A U.S. government watchdog is raising fresh concerns that health insurers are exaggerating how sick Medicare patients are, receiving billions of dollars in improper payments as a result. Health insurers selling Medicare Advantage plans to seniors and the disabled received an estimated $6.7 billion in 2017 after adding diagnoses to patients' files that were not supported by their medical records, according to a report released on Thursday by the U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General's Office. (12/12)

Seeking to rein in health care costs, insurance giant Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan announced Wednesday that it has reached new payment contracts with seven southeast Michigan hospitals or physicians groups that must start hitting annual cost targets next year or pay penalties. The new payment model, called "Blueprint for Affordability," begins in January and will affect roughly 30% of the Blues' total Commercial PPO and Medicare Advantage products, covering $4 billion in yearly health care spending. (Reindl, 12/11)

Gregory Adams has replaced the late Bernard Tyson as chairman and CEO of Kaiser Permanente, the Oakland, Calif.-based integrated not-for-profit health system announced late Tuesday. Adams has overseen health plan and hospital operations in all eight of the system's regions since 2016 as executive vice president and group president. (Kacik, 12/11)

Still have money set aside for medical expenses that you need to spend by the end of the year? There are plenty of ways to meet the deadline for flexible spending accounts, and you don't need to buy big-ticket items. You can use up the balance on everyday purchases like bandages and items you've already bought. (12/11)