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While roughly 83% of adults in the United States will visit a health care provider in the next year, an estimated
News
1-11-13 Affordable Care Act Update
January 18, 2013
State Exchanges
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that eight more states received conditional approval to operate a health insurance exchange. Of the eight, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Vermont and Utah will run state-based exchanges, while Arkansas will run a partnership exchange. This means 19 states and Washington, D.C. have received at least conditional approval to partially or fully operate their own marketplaces, with 17 states and D.C. set to run their own exchange and two states engaging in a partnership exchange with the federal government. Utah is a special case because it already has health exchange but will have to make adjustments to fully comply with the Affordable Care Act. See The Salt Lake Tribune story for further information.
Essential Health Benefits - Benchmark Plans
A new Kaiser Family Foundation analysis shows that 25 states and the District of Columbia have identified health plans to act as the benchmark for defining the essential health benefits (EHB). The remaining 25 states will default to the largest small-group plan in their states. The next step is for the federal government to review each benchmark plan to ensure it meets criteria specified in federal regulations governing the EHB.
As you know, ACS CAN submitted comments last month on proposed EHB regulations. The biggest concern is ensuring cancer patients access to all medically appropriate prescription drugs. The information provided by HHS so far suggests that most benchmark plans have good coverage, but ACS CAN and many other patient groups are concerned that some patients may not be able to access needed drugs.
ACS CAN strongly supports the EHB because of its potential to give patients the security of knowing that their health plan will cover proven methods to prevent and treat cancer . Ongoing efforts around the country are aimed at ensuring that the needs of cancer patients, survivors and their families are met. Activities include submitting written and/or oral testimony in multiple states. ACS CAN, on behalf of several groups representing patients, also spearheaded the collection of data on 31 different health benefits that are vital to individuals with cancer and other life-threatening chronic diseases. This major undertaking is helping to identify major coverage gaps in selected benchmarks plans so we can work at the state level to eliminate or lessen them before they become problematic for individuals fighting serious illnesses.
Physician Workforce
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) convened a committee to examine the governance and financing of Graduate Medical Education (GME). As part of the committee's meeting, ACS CAN participated on a panel to provide its perspective on the changing need for physicians in cancer care. ACS CAN's comments focused on three main points: the importance of coordinated, team-based care; palliative care as a model of care that the IOM committee should explore; and the need for enhancements in residency education and training. ACS CAN emphasized that one path to achieving a strong healthcare workforce is to provide physician training in the skills required for team-based, coordinated care. ACS CAN also requested that the committee examine the need for new GME slots in primary care and new sub-specialties such as palliative care. In addition, ACS CAN stressed the need for greater physician diversity and training in skills necessary for a reformed health care delivery system. ACS CAN's statement is attached.
As always, thank you for all you do every day to support laws and policies that help cancer patients and their families.
Molly Daniels | Deputy President
ACS CAN | American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc.