Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Insurers Face $15.5B Bill If Health Law Tax Resumes As Planned In 2020
The Internal Revenue Service on Tuesday published a notice asserting that health insurance companies face a $15.5 billion tax bill in 2020 if the ACA's health insurance tax resumes as planned. The ACA created the tax, known as the health insurance industry fee, to fund implementation of the ACA's marketplace exchanges. It's an annual fee on health insurance providers based on premiums and a payer's market share. (Brady, 9/4)
A Houston non-profit community group, Change Happens, has been awarded just over $400,000 in federal grant money to help assist in the upcoming enrollment for 2020 individual and family health coverage through the Affordable Care Act. Change Happens is only one of two organizations in the entire state to receive federal navigator grants which help pay for outreach and assistance for those wanting to sign-up for health insurance through the exchange. Advocates have said such assistance is crucial as the process of picking the best plan can be confusing. (Deam, 9/4)
Lawmakers, health care advocates and customers made a vociferous plea to Connecticut鈥檚 insurance commissioner and regulators Wednesday to block rate hikes, calling the years-long cycle of increases on the state鈥檚 health insurance exchange unsustainable. (Carlesso, 9/4)
Minnesotans who need to buy an individual insurance plan on the state鈥檚 MNsure exchange will have fewer days to sign up this year. MNsure announced Wednesday the 2020 open enrollment period when customers can sign up will run from Nov. 1 to Dec. 23, 2019. That鈥檚 about 20 fewer days than customers had during last year鈥檚 sign-up period. Minnesotans still have a week more than customers in other states who rely on the federal health insurance exchange and must sign up by Dec. 15. In past years, Minnesotans could pick in late December and early January, but their insurance coverage didn鈥檛 take effect until Feb. 1. (Magan, 9/4)
L.A. Care Health Plan and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan announced Wednesday they will jointly operate 14 new and existing community resource centers throughout Los Angeles county. The effort is part of a $146 million investment from both insurers over a five-year period with each group investing $73 million. Such a collaboration among two insurers, which are typically competitors, is unique. But John Baackes, CEO of L.A. Care, said there is an advantage to working with Blue Shield Promise because they share members. Blue Shield Promise contracts with L.A. Care to offer Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program. (Castellucci, 9/4)
About 1 in 3 Ohioans with private health insurance was surprised by a medical bill in the past year, according to a new survey released Wednesday. More than half of that group said the bill was higher than they expected, and 40% of them said they received a doctor鈥檚 bill they didn鈥檛 know was coming. (Candisky, 9/4)
The National Association of Dental Plans estimates that about 74 million Americans have no dental coverage. That means about 23% of the population, or more than double the percentage of the population that lacks health聽insurance, could be unable to afford basic dental services like cleanings, fillings or extractions. The good news is that there are several great local resources, including some pop-up missions聽and some ongoing clinics, that will provide free or reduced-cost dental services聽and some medical services聽to people in need. (Hance, 9/5)
