As full implementation of the Affordable Care Act approaches, many new programs and state Marketplaces continue to roll out daily.
Taxpayer-Funded Abortion Coverage for Congress
An amendment by Iowa Republican Senator Charles E. Grassley requires lawmakers and their staff to obtain coverage through the same insurance Marketplaces that many uninsured Americans will use. However, many abortion opponents, including Sen. Grassley, worry that this will give members of Congress access to abortion coverage. Currently, that benefit is denied to members of Congress and all federal employees who receive health insurance through a federal government plan. Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), who authored the abortion-funding ban for federal employee plans, says that requiring Congress to purchase health insurance in the Marketplace would be "a radical deviation and departure from current federal law."
Under the Affordable Care Act, every state must have at least one plan that does not cover abortion. But the decision as to whether a state must have one plan that provides abortion coverage is left completely up to the individual state. So far, 23 states have barred or restricted abortion coverage in Marketplace plans; 27 states, and the D.C., have no such restrictions.
Medicare Doctors Make House Calls
Under an ACA program called "Independence at Home," the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services contracted with 20 providers or provider groups nationwide to incentivize primary care providers who accept Medicare payments to make house calls to "medically complex patients." The goal of the program is to improve quality of care and prevent future, more expensive treatments by encouraging doctors to invest in their Medicare patients up front. The ACA authorizes expanding the program if this goal is met -- if quality of care improves at the same or lower cost and with the same or better outcomes.
Colorado Releases Marketplace Insurance Rates
Colorado's Division of Insurance released next year's rates under the ACA. Colorado's Marketplace will house a whopping 18 different insurers providing 541 different plans for both individuals and small businesses. The Denver Business Journal reported that these rates prove Colorado will not experience "rate shock," meaning consumers will likely not see higher sticker prices on the state's Marketplace than they do for presently available insurance options. Like many states, the rates will depend on the region in Colorado where the customer lives.
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