Our Health Policy Matters

Obamacare will insure 2 million fewer people in 2014 than previously reported.  That number is in a new report just released by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). That may come as a surprise to you.  But it isn’t the biggest surprise in the report for me.  I’ll explain why later.  First, let’s review the new numbers. Last May, the CBO estimated that seven million people would sign up for insurance through exchanges this year.  That number is not a surprise – it has been reported widely in the media. It also estimated that nine million previously uninsured people would be enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP.  In other words, a total of 16 million people would obtain coverage this year through Obamacare. But last week, CBO released updated estimates .  It now says that only 6 million will sign up through the exchanges this year, and only 8 million will enroll in Medicaid or CHIP.  Because some of the people who would have si...

Obamacare will insure 2 million fewer people in 2014 than previously reported.  That number is in a new report just released by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). That may come as a surprise to you.  But it isn’t the biggest surprise in the report for me.  I’ll explain why later.  First, let’s review the new numbers. Last May, the CBO estimated that seven million people would sign up for insurance through exchanges this year.  That number is not a surprise – it has been reported widely in the media. It also estimated that nine million previously uninsured people would be enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP.  In other words, a total of 16 million people would obtain coverage this year through Obamacare. But last week, CBO released updated estimates .  It now says that only 6 million will sign up through the exchanges this year, and only 8 million will enroll in Medicaid or CHIP.  Because some of the people who would have si...

Opponents of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are now looking to the Supreme Court to overturn the 2010 law before time runs out on them. After ACA became law eighteen months ago, they were optimistic that they could beat back several of its key provisions.   These included the minimum medical loss ratios, the expansion of Medicaid, the health insurance exchanges, and the individual mandate. A brief review of the current status of each shows why the individual mandate is the last one standing.   But as the arguments for and against it have crystallized in the Courts, they show how the Supreme Court could open a Pandora’s Box best left closed.   Minimum loss ratios ACA mandates that all private insurance plans will have to pay at least 80 to 85 cents in benefits for every premium dollar collected, or rebate the difference to policy holders beginning in 2012.   Opponents argued that many existing plans would be forced out of the market because of high ad...

Opponents of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are now looking to the Supreme Court to overturn the 2010 law before time runs out on them. After ACA became law eighteen months ago, they were optimistic that they could beat back several of its key provisions.   These included the minimum medical loss ratios, the expansion of Medicaid, the health insurance exchanges, and the individual mandate. A brief review of the current status of each shows why the individual mandate is the last one standing.   But as the arguments for and against it have crystallized in the Courts, they show how the Supreme Court could open a Pandora’s Box best left closed.   Minimum loss ratios ACA mandates that all private insurance plans will have to pay at least 80 to 85 cents in benefits for every premium dollar collected, or rebate the difference to policy holders beginning in 2012.   Opponents argued that many existing plans would be forced out of the market because of high ad...