Category: Health Care Reform

America’s health care system is undergoing many changes – it’s hard for insurance professionals to keep updated let alone consumers. Here we make it easy and publish daily articles on the changes and challenges that health care reform has ahead.

Almost 23,000 kids in Idaho dropped from health insurance coverage

Marc
Health insurance - Child healthcare

The problem had to do with failure to fill out the necessary paperwork in order to be eligible. Nearly 55,300 kids throughout Idaho have lost their health insurance coverage through Medicaid since April, due to the disenrollment process currently going on in the state. Idaho has been working to end the protections that kept coverage in place throughout the pandemic. According to data that includes figures up until the end of July 2023, over 33,111 of the total 55,300 kids who lost their coverage were a part of a group…

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Vermont health insurance rate hikes eased by state regulators

H. Cutner
Health insurance - Vermont flag

The state has attempted to take steps to keep premiums from rising over a certain limit. Health insurance price increases proposed by two major insurers in the Vermont marketplace have been slimmed down by state regulators. The decision to pare down the requested rates took the form of a pair of rulings issued last week. The Green Mountain Care Board issued two rulings last week that notably shrank the health insurance rate increases requested by MVP Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield for their small group and individual plans being…

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Number of Americans with health insurance hit record high in Q1 2023, said CDC

Nordstrom
Health insurance Coverage Q1 2023

That said, this figure was measured just before the changes to Medicaid rules were implemented. During the first quarter of this year, the number of Americans without health insurance dropped to a record low of 7.7 percent. Unfortunately, this record-breaking figure was achieved just ahead of the expiration of the rule implemented during the pandemic. In April, the Medicaid coverage of 15 million people was on shaky ground, possibly increasing uninsured rates. The data was measured in a survey released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) this month. It…

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Medicaid health insurance coverage at stake for many people because of paperwork issues

Marc
Health insurance - Help - Paperwork

People in a number of states have been struggling with paperwork issues and are losing their coverage. Procedural challenges and paperwork problems are being blamed for a rash of people losing their Medicaid health insurance coverage in several states throughout the country. The Health and Human Services Secretary is urging states to Health and Human Services Secretary do more to keep residents enrolled. Xavier Becerra, , is calling for states to do more to make sure their lower-income residents have the ability to remain covered by Medicaid health insurance coverage.…

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Colorado health insurance program provides undocumented immigrants coverage

G. Turner
Health insurance Data - Colorado

The program’s first year of operation cost tens of millions and has saved wellbeing and lives. The first year of the Colorado health insurance program offering undocumented immigrants with healthcare is now offering its first annual data tallies. In the state, every insurer offering coverage must sell to everyone, regardless of documentation status. Undocumented immigrants can legally obtain health insurance coverage in the state. In its first year of operation, the state paid $73 million to insurers for the program. This does not subtract the amount paid into the program…

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Biden administration seeks to restrict ‘junk’ health insurance plans

Nordstrom
Health insurance - White House - US Flag

A proposal is expected to be made tomorrow for a new regulation to crack down on short-term coverage. The Biden administration is expected to propose a new regulation tomorrow, with the intention of cutting back on short-term health insurance plans. This rule is long awaited and expected, to reign in the expansion of weak coverage from the Trump years. Democrats have been criticizing the expansion of thin health insurance coverage that was permitted during the Trump administration. They, along with patient advocacy groups, have criticized this type of skimpy coverage…

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Medicare Advantage health insurance plans don’t have many mental wellness services

Logan B.
Health insurance - Person seeing psychiatrist

A new study shows plan holders are struggling to find psychiatrists within their networks. New research findings are showing that people who are covered by private sector Medicare Advantage health insurance plans are struggling to find psychiatrists and other mental wellness services within their networks. As a result, people with private Medicare coverage might not be getting the care they require. Over half the counties studied by the researchers did not have a psychiatrist within a Medicare Advantage health insurance plan. That plan is the counterpart in the private sector…

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