Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
In Massachusetts, Lots Of People Are Signing Up For Exchange Plans, But Few Have Paid Their First Bill
Fewer than 1 percent of the people who learned they are eligible to buy health insurance plans on the Massachusetts Health Connector have taken the next critical step: paying for their coverage. Connector officials said that is to be expected, because the bills for 2015 coverage are not due until Dec. 23. (Freyer, 12/12)
Jonathan Gruber got some unaccustomed love Thursday morning. On Capitol Hill earlier this week, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist and architect of the Massachusetts health care law faced withering attacks from Republicans and Democrats for his controversial comments that seemed to ridicule the American voter and denigrate the political process. But Thursday in Boston鈥檚 McCormack Building, his image appeared at the center of a little red heart. (Freyer, 12/11)
With one week left to sign up for health insurance through the state health exchange for coverage Jan. 1, state health officials and advocates have turned to churches and religious leaders to ensure everyone gets the message. And Thursday, several said they would take it up with their congregations. About 81,000 signed up last year for private plans, and about 65,000 still had those plans as open enrollment approached this year on Nov. 15, according to the exchange. About 50,000 of those people received subsidies, so "that is the group that is our highest priority right now," said Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, state health secretary and board chairman of the exchange. However, he added, anyone who needs coverage to start in January needs to sign up by Dec. 18. (Cohn, 12/11)
As Monday's deadline to enroll in private health insurance through the state's online insurance website approaches, people who help consumers with the application process say business is booming. Aided by a marketing campaign from MNsure, the agency that runs the website, so-called "navigators" are seeing more visits from people who want to have insurance on Jan. 1. (Zdechlik, 12/12)
About 290,000 Californians filled out applications for exchange coverage since Covered California's second open enrollment period started Nov. 15. About 160,000 of those applications were found likely eligible for Medi-Cal and filled out those applications. Those numbers were amassed in less than three weeks between Nov. 15 and Dec. 2. (Gorn, 12/11)
One day after lawmakers met to discuss dissolving Cover Oregon, a top administrator said the state health insurance exchange later this year will open a website for small businesses to obtain health coverage for employees. (Budnick, 12/11)
