Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
House Democrats, Advocates Press To Let Pregnant Women Enroll Anytime
The Obama administration is under increasing pressure to allow uninsured women who become pregnant to obtain health coverage at any time of the year through the Affordable Care Act鈥檚 federal exchange. More than 50 House Democrats delivered a letter Thursday to Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell calling for immediate guidance that would classify pregnancy as a 鈥渜ualifying life event.鈥 ... More than 30 national health advocacy groups, including Families USA and Planned Parenthood, sent their own letter Thursday to HHS supporting the change. (Armour, 3/12)
Earlier related聽KHN story: P聽(Galewitz, 2/18)
The Supreme Court Obamacare challenge could cut down the numbers of insurers expanding into new markets next year 鈥 even if the White House wins. And that could be a victory of sorts for the opponents of the health law, even if they lose in court. (Norman, 3/12)
The flurry of media reports that said millions of people were losing their healthcare plans under ObamaCare in 2014 were likely overblown, according to a recent survey. Although a national survey from December 2013 found that one in five people had received a cancellation notice for their insurance, many of those customers were able to keep their plans in 2014 after changes to the government鈥檚 policy, according to a new report from the nonpartisan Urban Institute. (Ferris, 3/12)
Although more Americans have health insurance coverage, 25 percent of non-elderly Americans don鈥檛 have enough liquid assets to cover the deductible on their health insurance plan, according to a new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation. (Braverman, 3/12)