Category: Health Care Reform

America’s health care system is undergoing many changes – it’s hard for insurance professionals to keep updated let alone consumers. Here we make it easy and publish daily articles on the changes and challenges that health care reform has ahead.

Health insurance access boost on its way to DACA immigrants

H. Cutner
Health insurance - US Government - Health care

The Biden administration has expanded availability for those in Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The Biden administration has announced that expanded health insurance access will be rolling out for participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The announcement was made from the White House This health insurance announcement for DACA program members addresses a sensitive issue and has arrived at a time when elections are approaching.  This move will open up the ability to enroll in coverage under the Affordable Care Act for about 100,000 people who…

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Oscar-winning actor says that celebrity status didn’t boost health insurance access

Nordstrom
Health insurance - Oscar trophy

Hilary Swank recently shared that despite her accolades, she couldn’t afford coverage Hilary Swank recently revealed that while people make assumptions about the wealth of award-winning actors, not everyone sees great advantage to their finances or health insurance access just because they win a trophy. Days after winning her Oscar, she didn’t have coverage Only days after Swank received the Oscar for her Boys Don’t Cry role in 2000, she went to the pharmacy to pick up some medication. That said, when she arrived at the counter to pay for…

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Health insurance scam victims get almost $100 million in FTC refunds

Nordstrom
Health insurance scam - Warning

Consumers previously charged for sham medical plans will receive refunds. The Federal Trade Commission has announced that consumers that were charged for Benefytt Technologies-marketed scam health insurance plans will receive a refund as part of a total $100 million. This is the outcome of an FTC complain from August 2022 Benefytt and its third-party partners allegedly ran a number of deceptive websites aimed at consumers who were shopping for comprehensive health insurance plans that were Affordable Care Act qualified.  Agents were allegedly selling the Benefytt plans even though they were…

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Virginia Senator Kaine seeks Affordable Care Act health insurance changes

Logan B.
Health insurance - ACA Virginia Flag

Along with Senator Baldwin, changes to the ACA Essential Health Benefits are sought Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) are seeking to update the Essential Health Benefits in Affordable Care Act health insurance plans. The current ACA plans are required to cover 10 categories Among the categories Affordable Care Act health insurance plans must cover are mental health services and prescription drugs. According to Virginia Health Catalyst CEO Sarah Bedard Holland, failure to act will only allow the current medical debt crisis to worsen. “Four in 10…

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Medicaid health insurance coverage is gone for 400k Ohio residents

H. Cutner
Health Insurance - Ohio Flag - Medicaid

Since the “unwinding” of the pandemic rules, hundreds of thousands lost coverage. Since the pandemic enrollment rules have been unwound, around 395,000 Ohio residents have lost their health insurance through Medicaid, and that figure is expected to rise.  It has now been a year since the state ceased the “continuous enrollment” Within the year since the continuous enrollment in Medicaid health insurance – that had previously been a requirement under coronavirus relief legislation from the federal government – hundreds of thousands of people in Ohio lost that coverage.  According to…

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Biden limits Trump era “junk” short-term health insurance plans

Nordstrom
Short-term Health insurance - Reducing health costs - American Flag

The goal is to reduce the sale and use of the plans that can leave policyholders footing huge bills. The Biden administration is working on rolling back the short-term health insurance plans that rolled out during the Trump administration.  The purpose is to shrink the use of these “junk” plans that leave patients at risk of paying large medical bills out of their own pockets. The new rule was first proposed in the summer of 2023 This new strategy is a part of a broader effort to reduce the cost…

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Visible minorities in LA County face health care inequalities, survey

Logan B.
Health care - Inequality - Minorities

The research was conducted and results released by the Los Angeles County Department of Health The Los Angeles County Department of Health has released its 2023 health care survey results and determined that visible minorities faced a slew of inequities. The survey involved the participation of thousands of residents of the county There were 9,372 adults and 7,391 kids from LA county that participated in the wellness survey. The research examined a range of issues, including everything from health care to insurance access and from housing to the way these…

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