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Obama administration issues rules for young adults on parents' insurance plans

The Obama administration Monday issued rules to allow children as old as age 26 to remain on their parents' health insurance plans, but such changes will likely increase the cost of insurance for families next year.

12 May 2010

Health Reform news: Grandfather clause could mean some lose benefits

Kaiser Health News: Millions of people could end up losing some benefits of the new health law because of the interpretation of "grandfathered."

11 May 2010

White House unveils subsidies to preserve early-retiree coverage

A federal program that was authorized in the new health law will help companies pay for as much as $5 billion worth of medical bills of early retirees that they continue to insure, The New York Times reports.

6 May 2010

Federal deadline on state health insurance 'pools' sparks confrontations

States must tell the federal government whether they will help run new insurance pools for high-risk patients by Friday, which could set up political confrontations, The New York Times reports.

3 May 2010

As health reform's specifics continue to emerge, so do questions and answers from stakeholders

Determining how the law will be applied will be the next big battle in health reform and lobbyists are gearing up to influence implementation. "Congress gave sweeping power to federal agencies, especially (HHS), to fill in gaps lawmakers left in the 906-page legislation — an effort that will take years. The law refers more than 1,000 times to Cabinet secretaries who will make decisions on how to carry out the law. For example, the law requires insurance companies to spend 80% of premiums on medical claims, as opposed to administrative costs, by 2011. But it directs the health department to decide whether gray-area expenses, such as health-and-wellness programs offered by insurers, count as care or overhead."

28 Apr 2010

Senate Democrats seek legislation to regulate insurer rate hikes

The New York Times: "Fearing that health insurance premiums may shoot up in the next few years, Senate Democrats laid a foundation on Tuesday for federal regulation of rates, four weeks after President Obama signed a law intended to rein in soaring health costs." Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., introduced legislation that would allow the federal health secretary to block "any rate increase found to be unreasonable," an authority that would be shared with some state insurance officials.

22 Apr 2010

Obama camp, industry shift from political battle to implementation focus

President Barack Obama's administration is shifting its focus from the politics of the health overhaul to the work of implementing it, which officials may pursue even more quickly than required by the law, The New York Times reports. Top health officials, including Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, White House adviser Pete Rouse, and Obama's health care lobbyist Nancy-Ann DeParle will all play central roles in implementing the law.

20 Apr 2010

The nuts and bolts of reform's new policies

The New York Times: "In a new report, the Congressional Research Service says the law may have significant unintended consequences for the 'personal health insurance coverage' of senators, representatives and their staff members." Lawmakers agreed to depart from their existing health plans in order to join new health insurance exchanges, something they have made available to many of their constituents. But, while the exchanges don't start up until 2014, the law is silent on when lawmakers must ditch their current benefits.

15 Apr 2010

Preventive care, illegal immigrants and other health law notes

Reports continue to explore elements of the health reform debate such as the politically contentious issue of illegal immigrants' coverage, health care coverage for young adults, disease prevention and the next tanning-salon tax.

6 Apr 2010

Sebelius: High risk health insurance pools to begin soon

In one of the first moves the Obama administration has taken under the new health care reform law, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Friday sent a letter to state governors and insurance commissioners intended to gauge interest in a new insurance high-risk pool program.

5 Apr 2010

Insurers comply with new coverage rules for sick children

Early Tuesday, insurers agreed to new rules for covering sick children, including a ban that will take effect in September on "pre-existing condition exclusions" for children younger than 19.

1 Apr 2010

How the health legislation will affect consumers

The Los Angeles Times explores some key questions: Will insurers continue to raise premiums; when will the Medicare "doughnut hole" close; and, "how do I sign up for my new insurance?" In answer to the last one, the Times writes, "Although there are some provisions that take effect this year, such as bans on lifetime limits and the denial of coverage to children with pre-existing conditions, the part of the bill that provides new insurance options does not take effect until 2014" (Geiger, 3/28).

30 Mar 2010

As CMS nominee, Berwick would face changes and challenges

President Barack Obama will soon nominate Dr. Donald M. Berwick to "run Medicare and Medicaid, the programs that serve nearly one-third of all Americans, administration officials said Saturday," The New York Times reports.

29 Mar 2010

White House reportedly set to name Dr. Donald Berwick to head Medicare

The New York Times reports that President Barack Obama will soon nominate Dr. Donald M. Berwick to "run Medicare and Medicaid, the programs that serve nearly one-third of all Americans, administration officials said Saturday.

29 Mar 2010

It's over: Congress completes work on health overhaul with approval of 'fixes'

After more than a year of political wrangling, Congress finished its work on health care reform Thursday night when the House passed a Senate-changed bill of fixes to the new law.

27 Mar 2010

Senate passes health reform reconciliation bill, sends it back to House

The Senate Thursday afternoon passed a health care reform reconciliation bill and sent the bill back to the House for final consideration. The bill passed 56-43.

26 Mar 2010

GOP forces second house vote on health reconciliation bill

Senate Republicans found a way to force a second House vote on a health reform reconciliation bill after identifying parliamentary flaws, including one in the calculation of a student loan provision.

26 Mar 2010

It's over: House passes last piece of landmark health reform, 220-207

Politico: "Congress completed its work Thursday night on the broadest social legislation in almost a half-century, as the House capped the year-long legislative saga over health reform by signing off on a package of fixes to the newly minted law. In the end, the titanic battle over remaking the American health care system drew to a close on a pair of votes drained of suspense - after the Senate approved the clean-up bill earlier Thursday. The House approved the clean-up bill, 220 to 207" (Budoff Brown, 3/25).

26 Mar 2010

GOP forces reconciliation bill back to the House for another vote

With the Senate working through an all-night session on a package of changes to the Democrats' sweeping health care legislation, Republicans early Thursday morning identified parliamentary problems with at least two provisions that will require the measure to be sent back to the House for yet another vote, once the Senate adopts it.

25 Mar 2010

Obama signs historic health overhaul bill surrounded by supporters, lawmakers

In front of packed crowd of cheering, enthusiastic lawmakers and others, President Barack Obama signed the Senate health care bill into law yesterday.

25 Mar 2010