Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Burwell Makes Enrollment Inroads In Texas
The top Obamacare official is making inroads deep in enemy territory. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell has spent more time selling the health care law in Texas than virtually anywhere else. And while many of the politicians here may hate the law, the Obama administration strategy is clear: If it can get upwards of 1 million Texans covered, it can prove the law is a success even in the most unfriendly climates. (Haberkorn, 2/14)
There are a lot of reasons sign-ups for individual health insurance are falling below expectations as the deadline for 2015 strikes on Sunday. One big one may be that many people are finding they just can鈥檛 afford to pay for a policy, even if it means a potential penalty. (Stiffler, 1/13)
A day before the release of an expansive MNsure audit, Republicans and officials with the state health insurance exchange skirmished over pay for MNsure managers. (Snowbeck, 2/16)
MNsure is about to get its report card, and the results might not be pretty. Minnesota's embattled health care exchange endured high-profile tech problems and struggled to sign people up for private plans in its first year, though it did help hundreds of thousands find insurance. (Montgomery, 1/15)
