Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Political Turmoil Aside, 12.2 Million Enrolled In Coverage Under Health Law This Year
More than 12.2 million people have signed up for coverage nationwide this year under the Obama-era health care law even with the uncertainty created by President Donald Trump's vow to repeal and replace it. A count by The Associated Press shows that many consumers returned to the program despite its problems. Aside from the political turmoil, those difficulties include a spike in premiums, rising deductibles and dwindling choice of insurers. (2/10)
A record number of residents signed up for private insurance this year through Minnesota's health exchange, officials said Thursday, attributing the spike in part to uncertainty over the federal health care law and a novel state program that offsets skyrocketing premiums. MNsure, the health exchange Minnesota created through the federal Affordable Care Act, signed up more than 117,000 people during the three-month open enrollment period for 2017 that ended Jan. 31. (2/9)
Minnesota鈥檚 individual health insurance market isn鈥檛聽in the clear yet.Tens of thousands of Minnesotans who purchased health insurance in 2016 are apparently going without this year, beset by soaring premiums, shrinking provider networks and political uncertainty about the future of health coverage.聽This poses a big risk not just for those individuals trying to make it through 2017 without health insurance but also to the unstable market they leave behind. (Montgomery, 2/9)
