The Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act (ACA is also known as “Obamacare”) originally included the individual mandate, a provision that required all Americans to have health insurance or pay a tax penalty. This mandate was repealed and will no longer be in effect beginning in 2019.

Healthcare Reform News Update for July 1, 2020

Oklahoma Voters Approve Medicaid Expansion

Citizens in Oklahoma voted on Tuesday to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act by amending the state constitution. Those who earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level will now qualify for Medicaid, which is approximately $17,200 for individuals and $35,500 for a family of four.

Healthcare Reform News Update for June 30, 2020

House Democrats Pass Bill to Extend ACA Provisions

The House voted to expand the Affordable Care Act on Monday. The measure is the first significant ACA bill to pass since the law was enacted.

The legislation passed primarily along party lines, with Democrats in support and Republicans opposing. The bill is not expected to pass in the Republican-controlled senate, and the White House announced that the president would veto the measure if it comes before him.

Some of the provisions in the bill include:

• Capping premiums for benchmark silver plans at 8.5% of income for all enrollees, instead of only offering ACA premium tax subsidies to those earning under 400 percent of the federal poverty level.
• Increasing funding for ACA outreach and enrollment to $100 million per year.
• Allowing federal health officials to negotiate the price of prescription drugs under Medicare.
• Reestablishing the 3-month duration limit for short-term health insurance.
• Reducing Medicaid funding for states that have not expanded Medicaid, but also allowing the federal government to pay the entire initial cost for expansion.

Healthcare Reform News Update for June 26, 2020

Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Overturn Affordable Care Act

The Department of Justice filed a legal brief to the Supreme Court on Thursday night that argues the Affordable Care Act should be overturned. The brief contends that the entire health law was invalidated when its individual mandate tax penalty was struck down in 2017.

The Court is expected to hear oral arguments in the case later this year and make a ruling in early 2021.

Almost Half a Million Enroll in ACA Plans After Losing Coverage

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said that approximately 487,000 Americans signed up for Affordable Care Act plans after the open enrollment period ended in December, a 46 percent increase from last year.

The increase was concentrated in April and May, which suggests that the surge in enrollments is linked to layoffs due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).

Retrieved from https://www.healthmarkets.com/resources/health-insurance/trumpcare-news-updates/

Just keeping your informed.

Dr. Marilyn Crosby