GOP Health Reform

Technology firm HealthSherpa on Tuesday (Dec. 4) announced it is the first private sector partner approved by CMS to use the new enhanced direct enrollment pathway to sign up consumers for exchange plans, confirming news first reported by Inside Health Policy last week.

Technology firm HealthSherpa on Tuesday (Dec. 4) announced it is the first private sector partner approved by CMS to use the new enhanced direct enrollment pathway to sign up consumers for exchange plans, confirming news first reported by Inside Health Policy last week.

The Trump administration released a series of health policy recommendations Monday (Dec. 3) that officials say would reduce barriers to competition in the individual and other markets, including loosening network adequacy restrictions, expanding access to health savings accounts, eliminating the employer mandate and altering the Affordable Care Act’s non-discrimination provisions.

Commercial entities that could serve as vendors between manufacturers and providers are a key part of the Trump administration’s proposed Medicare Part B demo, but it is still unclear which, if any, will decide to participate in CMS’ competitive selection process.

CMS on Friday (Nov. 30) gave a green light to New Hampshire to move forward with a stringent program of Medicaid work requirements, as well as a transition of the state’s expansion population from the exchanges to Medicaid managed care and the elimination of retroactive coverage for beneficiaries in the expansion population.

Although Capitol Hill leaders have expressed little interest in doing anything health care-related during the remaining two weeks of the lame-duck session, a bipartisan group of senators is calling for a Senate vote on legislation to delay the health insurance tax.

Consumer advocacy group Families USA Thursday (Nov. 30) launched a new National Center for Coverage Innovation (NCCI) with a “two-track” strategy of developing and supporting near-term, pragmatic health insurance reforms, while also laying the groundwork for larger-scale federal changes.

The incoming Democratic chairman of the House health care committees allege the Trump administration stepped outside the law by issuing guidance that gives states broad flexibility to use the law’s 1332 waivers to get around longstanding Obamacare guardrails, and they ask the agency to produce background information justifying its actions.

Senate health committee ranking Democrat Patty Murray (WA) called for the Senate to return to legislation that would shore up the Affordable Care Act marketplaces, and committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Murray’s co-author of the failed ACA stabilization bill, said he would be open to revisiting the measure.