Posts by year
2016
Obamacare’s SHOP: Takin’ care of small business
June 22, 2016 – The SHOP Marketplace helps small businesses put together a competitive benefits package, the kind that attracts and retains talented…
Will ‘Simple Choice’ plans live up to their name?
June 9, 2016 – Last month, HealthCare.gov CEO Kevin Counihan announced that "Simple Choice" plans will be available through ACA's marketplaces when open…
Hillary’s plans to sweeten the Obamacare pot
May 17, 2016 – Hillary Clinton's wish list has something for people at all points in the income distribution, very much including those at the top of…
Obamacare’s anti-discrimination protections fortified
May 17, 2016 – With the issuance of a final rule on Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, one more roadblock to full equality for the LGBT community…
Paul Ryan pulls back the curtain
May 9, 2016 – Ryan’s outlandish proposal is wrong on the facts and ignores recent history. But it does give us a peek at what a Republican replacement…
Why insurers thrive (or dive) in ACA marketplaces
April 28, 2016 – Centene is happy with its marketplace profits. UHC is losing millions. Can the Iowa marketplace offer clues as to why carriers succeed or…
Suicide rates – and how Medicaid can help
April 24, 2016 – Obamacare's Medicaid expansion probably wouldn't dramatically reduce the incidence of suicide in the United States. But it would…
Minnesota considers a ‘public option on steroids’
April 21, 2016 – If MinnesotaCare really is offered at a Silver-range price to all comers, its effective discount would be so huge that it's hard to…
Why high deductibles don’t work
April 12, 2016 – Ultimately, high-deductibles handicap patients' and providers' ability to work together to effectively manage patients' health, prevent…
Should we extend coverage to the undocumented?
March 24, 2016 – The cleanest approach to our insurance market would be to exclude undocumented immigrants, as we have done. There’s only one problem:…
Moonshot only the latest of Obama cancer missions
March 23, 2016 – Long before the Obama administration's pledge to eliminate cancer, Obamacare began targeting obstacles to cancer coverage and treatment.…
How Obamacare delivered more birth options
March 8, 2016 – Obamacare's coverage of pregnancy as an essential benefit was just the beginning of vastly improved access and expanded choice in…