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03-07-2014 Affordable Care Act Update

March 7, 2014

Resource Highlights

With so much attention on the ACA this month, we’re adding a new feature to ACA Update that will serve as a quick reference for resources that help educate people with cancer and their families about the law’s patient protections. This week’s list follows:

Federal Update

ACS CAN Volunteer Joins Senators to Publicize Benefits of Health Care Law

David Weis, an ACS CAN volunteer from Glen Rock, N.J., joined U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Angus King (I-Maine) Tuesday at a Capitol Hill press conference held to emphasize the importance of key provisions of the ACA for cancer patients and survivors.

Weis, a senior at Georgetown University, was diagnosed with thyroid and lymphatic cancer at age 18. He explained that the ACA enables him to remain on his mother’s health insurance plan until he turns 26and that he will begin his career after graduation without having to worry whether he’ll be able to afford ongoing treatment, doctor’s visits, and expensive daily medication. “My cancer won’t preclude me from having affordable and accessible health insurance,” Weis said. “I am not, and should not be, defined by my cancer – and the ACA has helped me with that.”

House Casts 50th Vote to Change the ACA

The House of Representatives voted Thursday to pass H.R. 4118, the Simple Fairness Act. The legislation,  would delay until 2015 the implementation of the ACA provision that requires most people to have health insurance or pay a penalty. The bill passed 250-160. The Senate has no current plans to take up the legislation and President Obama has stated that he would veto the bill if reaches his desk.

Policy Update

Nearly 9 Million Determined Eligible for Medicaid

In a report released last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that 8.9 million Americans were determined eligible for Medicaid between October 1 and January 31. This includes those newly eligible  in states that have chosen to increase access to Medicaid under the ACA, those previously eligible, and some renewals.

Consumers Receive More Time to Renew Non-Compliant Plans

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Wednesday that consumers will be allowed to keep health plans that do not comply with the ACA for two more years. In December 2013, HHS allowed consumers to renew health plans that were being canceled, and this announcement extends the ability for consumers to continue renewing those plans until October 1, 2016.

HHS Releases Final Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2015

HHS also released a final regulation on the ACA insurance market rules for 2015. The regulation finalizes the open enrollment period for 2015 (November 15 to February 15), increases annual limits on cost-sharing for the 2015 plan year (to $6,600), and specifies requirements for the programs that balance risk among issuers in the new health insurance marketplace.

IRS Issues Final Rules on Minimum Essential Coverage Reporting

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released final rules on reporting requirements for insurance companies and employers. The rule requires insurers and certain employers to report to IRS the individuals covered by the employer’s or insurer’s health plan.

Insurance Commissioners to Consider Revision of Network Adequacy Standards

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) will consider changes to its model law on health plan networks during the group’s spring meeting, which convenes March 29.  NAIC will also consider recommending that states adopt regulatory changes to improve oversight of plan networks, because regulatory actions can proceed more rapidly than legislative actions.

State Update

Coverage for Expensive Drugs Often Inadequate

Cancer patients in every state have faced escalating drug prices for years.  Many insurers have designed their plans so patients pay a greater share of drug costs – especially for newer and often expensive drugs. As a result, cancer patients face monthly out-of-pocket expenses that can reach thousands of dollars. While the ACA helps mitigate the problem in many instances, drug costs remain unaffordable for many cancer patients. The Huffington Post outlines some of the challenges involved in trying to cap patient out-of-pocket costs.

Arkansas Renews Funding for Access to Care Through Medicaid

On Tuesday, the Arkansas legislature approved funding of its “private option” – a premium assistance program that guarantees more than 200,000 low-income residents access to health coverage, cancer screenings and treatment services under the ACA.

Arkansas became the first state last year to accept the federal funds to increase access to care through Medicaid. Tuesday’s vote gives the state the necessary authorization to accept the federal funds and use them for premium assistance or to purchase health coverage for the newly eligible low-income population.  The legislation is expected by be signed by Governor Mike Beebe.

Media Update

Public Following Coverage of ACA Implementation

The Kaiser Health Policy Index finds that implementation of the new health care law was February’s most-closely followed health policy news story. The Index informs journalists and policymakers about the public’s attention to and comprehension of health policy news stories.  February’s Index reveals that the public:

  • focused primarily on economy-related news;
  • followed reports of ACA implementation more closely than coverage of the Winter Olympics or President Obama’s State of the Union address;
  • names the news media as its leading information source on the ACA;
  • is influenced more by media reports than by personal experience in its views of the law; and
  • believes the media reports more on politics and controversies than on the ACA’s impact on individuals.

President Obama Uses Spanish-language Media to Promote ACA

In a televised town hall co-hosted by the country’s three largest Spanish-language media outlets, President Obama appealed to the Hispanic community – whose uninsurance rate is much higher than the national average – to enroll in the new health insurance marketplaces before the March 31 deadline. The president answered questions about the law and was followed by experts who addressed how the ACA benefits the Latino community.

As always, thank you for all you do every day to support laws and policies that help cancer patients and their families.  

Chris Hansen | President, ACS CAN

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc.

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