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12-22-11 Affordable Care Act Update
Federal Update On December 16, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an advisory bulletin outlining policy direction for states on the essential benefits package. Although ... of health benefit exchanges. HHS plans to publish a formal regulatory proposal, but did not indicate when. Read the HHS press release , ACS CAN's statement , and coverage from the Associated Press and Wall Street Journal. (attach WSJ) The bulletin says a state will be able to choose ... Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plan; or, The three largest state employee plans. The choice is about the benefit package only . Cost-sharing (i.e. deductibles and co-pays or coinsurance) associated with the plans are not important at this point. Cost-sharing will ...
5-3-12 Affordable Care Act Update
State Lead Ambassador Summit Last weekend ACS CAN hosted its sixth annual State Lead Ambassador Summit in St. Louis for 48 volunteer leaders and their staff partners. The Summit included a town ... for implementing the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Later in the weekend, breakout sessions were held on the essential health benefits provision of the law and why it is so important to achieving adequate coverage for cancer patients and survivors. At the end of the discussion, participants had the chance to build their own essential health benefits package as part of a group exercise designed to ...
4-21-11 Affordable Care Act Update
... the funds needed to implement the law, such as subsidies for middle-class Americans to purchase insurance in state exchanges and elimination of the Prevention and Public Health Fund. Both the budget resolution and White House plan would seek to reduce Medicare and Medicaid spending. ... expenditures by standardizing the federal match and other program changes, and it would reduce Medicare expenditures by expanding the power of the Independent Payment Advisory Board, which was established under the Affordable Care Act to reduce Medicare payments and services if they ... reductions without sacrificing the medical security of cancer patients and survivors and others with serious medical conditions. Read the ACS CAN talking points on entitlement reform proposals, and the April 15, 2011 ACS CAN press release on the House FY2012 Budget Resolution. Dr. Seffrin ...
9-8-11 Affordable Care Act Update
Litigation The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals today dismissed two challenges to the Affordable Care Act. In Commonwealth of Virginia v. Sebelius , the case brought by Virginia’s ... assistance and lowering out-of-pocket costs. The extent to which it will help will depend on the choice of plans, benefit design and health care cost trends. As always, thank you for all you do every day to support laws and policies that help cancer patients and their families. Christopher W. Hansen President American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) 9-8-11 Affordable Care Act Update ...
6-2-11 Affordable Care Act Update
Federal Update The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced several important changes to the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) this week. Among the ... July 1 (the new rates have been posted on healthcare.gov). Reductions are as much as 40 percent in several states. These changes are a result of redeterminations of what the "standard rate" is in each state. HHS is communicating the changes to states that operate their own PCIPs and ... filed last week. The Administration filed the brief because one of the plaintiffs recently purchased health insurance through an employer and can no longer claim injury from the individual mandate to purchase insurance. Read The New York Times story and see the Kaiser Health News “ ...
10-13-11 Affordable Care Act Update
Institute of Medicine Releases Report on Principles for Essential Benefits Package Last week the Institute of Medicine (IOM), an independent scientific research body, released its report on principles for an essential benefits package. One of ACS CAN's most important goals is to achieve adequate health coverage for all cancer patients. The Affordable Care Act gives the Secretary of Health ... it is the second lowest of four tiers ranging from 60-90 percent actuarial value. Premium subsidies in the exchanges will be based on the cost of a silver plan.) Based on the premium target, HHS would determine what benefits must be offered that would meet the target premium and the ...
8-25-11 Affordable Care Act Update
Affordable Care Act and the Budget While Congress remains in recess until after Labor Day, members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, or what has commonly come to be known as the “super committee,” have already begun discussions in preparation for the work that lies ahead. While traditionally at ACS CAN we have associated the budget and appropriations process mostly with funding for cancer research and programs, we know that because of the ... employer-sponsored health insurance have not filled prescriptions, did not get recommended tests, or avoided seeing a doctor because of the high cost barrier. Although continuing health coverage through COBRA is an option for the unemployed, the expense prohibits many from purchasing it. ...
8-2-12 Affordable Care Act Update
... Update Provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that require new private health plans to cover specific women's preventive services at no cost to patients took effect on August and include services important to preventing cancer and catching it early, such as annual well-women visits and testing for a virus that can cause cervical cancer. The benefits were recommended by a panel convened by the Institute of Medicine at the request of the Department of Health and Human Services. Health insurers must begin covering the benefits on the first day of the ...
Affordable Care Act Update 6-19-14
Policy Update HHS Releases Report on Premium Affordability in the Marketplaces The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a report Wednesday revealing that that 69 percent of enrollees in the federally-facilitated Marketplace ... access to health care through Medicaid, which states declined the federal funds to expand Medicaid and which states have yet to decide. ACS CAN continues to lead efforts to encourage the remaining states to accept the federal funds so that their most vulnerable citizens will have access ... that marketplaces had cheaper plans available than the off-marketplace companies in 35 of the 39 regions examined. On average, the lowest cost marketplace plan was over 40% cheaper than the lowest cost off-marketplace plan in the same region. Study: Expanded Coverage May Improve ...
7-13-12 Affordable Care Act Update
Federal Update The House of Representatives voted yesterday to repeal the Affordable Care Act(ACA) - the first such vote since the Supreme Court upheld the ... The Supreme Court ruling leaves the fate of the ACA's Medicaid expansion in the hands of state governors and/or state legislatures. ACS CAN is fully committed to the Medicaid expansion as a way to increase access to lifesaving cancer care, and will provide advocacy staff tools and ... Act. Of those that accessed the free preventive services, 1.35 million took advantage of the Annual Wellness Visit provided under the law. Cost has historically been a barrier to access for seniors seeking prevention services. The ACA removes all cost sharing including deductibles and ...