Almost precisely a yr after the GOP-led Senate killed a invoice to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act, the Republican House this week handed payments that will tinker across the edges of the well being legislation. While not one of the payments is anticipated to go the Senate, House Republicans hope their motion may also help blunt Democratic assaults over well being care within the midterm elections this fall.
Meanwhile, officers in Washington proceed to react to latest court docket choices relating to work necessities for Medicaid beneficiaries and funds to insurers below the Affordable Care Act.
This week’s panelists for KHN’s “What the Health?” are Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo and Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner.
Among the takeaways from this week’s podcast:
The House Republican well being payments would lengthen the attain of “health savings accounts,” that are tax-preferred autos for self-funding medical bills, and repeal or delay two unpopular taxes imposed to assist pay for the advantages included within the Affordable Care Act. Those taxes on well being insurers and medical gadget makers are presently not being collected, with Congress having delayed them beforehand. The administration’s startling about-face to proceed the risk-adjustment funds to insurance coverage firms is easing considerations about these companies taking part within the ACA’s marketplaces subsequent yr. The program, which doesn’t use federal funds, is designed to take funds from insurers who’ve fewer high-cost members than anticipated and provides it to plans that see heavier prices than anticipated. Federal Medicaid officers have reopened public feedback on a plan to implement work necessities for adults who gained protection below Kentucky’s growth program. Officials say that effort might fulfill the considerations expressed by a decide who threw out the work necessities earlier. The Trump administration introduced that it’s going to examine some restricted makes use of of drug imports to decrease prescription prices. It is a part of a promise by the president to assist preserve drug costs in examine.
Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists advocate their favourite well being tales of the week they suppose you need to learn, too:
Julie Rovner: FiveThirtyEight.com’s “How Catholic Bishops Are Shaping Health Care In Rural America,” by Anna Maria Barry-Jester and Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux
Anna Edney: Kaiser Health News’ “Dèjá Voodoo: Pharma’s Promises To Curb Drug Prices Have Been Heard Before,” by Jay Hancock and Sarah Jane Tribble
Alice Ollstein: The New York Times’ “A Vote Expanded Medicaid in Maine. The Governor Is Ignoring It,” by Abby Goodnough
Kimberly Leonard: The Associated Press’ “Health Care Industry Branches Into Fresh Meals, Rides to Gym,” by Tom Murphy
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