The Trump administration announced in mid-July that it would reduce funding for Healthcare.gov navigators this fall and encourage them to guide enrollees toward short term healthcare policies. Navigators were implemented as part of the ACA to help consumers purchase products in the public exchange. Nonprofit organizations received federal grants to hire people that helped guide… Continue Reading ›
In May 2018, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its report on federal subsidies for health insurance coverage for people under the age of 65. The report included predictions related to subsidies provided by the government that help offset the cost of health insurance coverage. Projected Health Insurance Coverage According to the numbers compiled by… Continue Reading ›
With reports that insurance premiums for policies purchased in Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces will rise as much as 30 percent in 2019, states are looking at innovative ways to help residents keep health insurance costs low while keeping their coverage. States like Iowa and Tennessee have discovered loopholes in the ACA that may allow… Continue Reading ›
As the 2018 United States midterm elections approach, polling company Gallup released new results suggesting that healthcare tops the issues of concern to voters. Although the poll, released on March 26, was taken over seven months before the elections and much may change in the interim, it is part of a long-term trend. Per Gallup,… Continue Reading ›
Starting next year, health insurance companies will have greater leeway when it comes to increasing premiums for their plans. In a final rule issued in April 2018, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services made changes to the regulations that govern rate hikes. Beginning in 2019, insurance companies will have to submit new rates for… Continue Reading ›
House Speaker Paul Ryan announced in early April that he will be leaving office in January after a nearly 20-year career in Congress. The response has been mixed, not to mention divided along party lines. Ryan will vacate his position in government without accomplishing two of his more highly publicized political goals: entitlement reform and… Continue Reading ›
Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became law in 2010, it’s been a controversial measure in the history of American healthcare. Like any hot topic, Obamacare has its naysayers and supporters, its pros and cons. But the arguments haven’t ended with its namesake’s presidential term. In fact, the ACA remains in the spotlight as politicians… Continue Reading ›
Dismantling the Affordable Care Act has been one of the hallmarks of the Trump administration, and its latest action in this regard could weaken the so-called Obamacare program with reduced funding that will likely translate into higher policy premiums. President Donald Trump was unable to score a political victory when he tried to repeal the… Continue Reading ›
With midterm elections looming and many experts predicting a Democratic sweep, Republicans may be considering another attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This would be the fourth attempt by the GOP to repeal the national healthcare act, something many Republican candidates promised constituents during the 2016 campaign season. Although there is little indication… Continue Reading ›
Without Congressional intervention, insurance companies indicate that insurance premiums will rise again in 2019. Insurers only have until summer to decide if they will continue to participate in the insurance marketplace, and many claim they are suffering significant losses due to coverage of Americans with greater medical needs. Death Spiral Chet Burrell, CEO of CareFirst… Continue Reading ›