Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
California's Exchange Launches Massive Collection Of Patient Data
California's health insurance exchange wants to know why you got sick this summer. With 1.4 million people enrolled, the state-run marketplace is embarking on an ambitious effort to collect insurance company data on prescriptions, doctor visits and hospital stays for every Obamacare patient. (Terhune, 6/21)
In other states, New York will soon be the first state to allow pregnant women to sign up for Obamacare coverage at any time, not just during the open-enrollment period. And several businesses in Minnesota show how some companies are adopting private exchanges, giving employees a host of insurance choices -
New York is poised to become the first state to allow women who become pregnant to sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act – even after the open-enrollment period has passed. Legislation establishing a pregnancy as a so-called qualifying event that enables women to enroll in ACA health coverage at any time passed the New York legislature on Wednesday, and was sent to Gov. Andrew Cuomo for his signature. (Armour, 6/19)
For years, workers who receive health insurance through their employers have had a limited choice of health plans. At John Henry Foster, a company that distributes hydraulic and air compression equipment, workers long had to accept a plan from a couple of choices offered by their employer. ... But these days, the company's employees have dozens of choices. (Zdechlik, 6/22)
