Many Uninsured Don't Realize They May Face A Tax Penalty

• Many Uninsured Don't Realize They May Face A Tax Penalty
• 
  

8 ways Obamacare has proved its critics wrong

Obamacare Is Barely Denting Corporate Profits

Bending the Curve on Patient Safety?

Remote Patient Monitoring Lets Doctors Spot Trouble Early

Shortage Of Latino Doctors Is Hampering Health Efforts, Study Finds

Medical Homes And Preventive Services

The Kaiser Family Foundation: Are Uninsured Adults Who Could Gain Medicaid Coverage Working? 

SUPPORTERS BEHIND KING REFUSE TO ADDRESS RECENT SETBACKS IN CASE
Supreme Court Case Against Obamacare Faces Obstacles

National Journal: Why Obamacare Will Win  and Why Obamacare Will Lose 

From Coverage to Care

From Coverage to Care

HHS just released this package of materials which is designed to us to educate consumers on how to make best use of their new health insurance coverage. Looks like some useful material.  Please let me know what you think.  

https://marketplace.cms.gov/technical-assistance-resources/c2c.html

Reducing Health Disparities; Rising Spending

1) RWJF: A New Approach to Eliminating Health Disparities

They do not provide much specifics on what they plan to do.  I suggested they look at the following paper for which I was a co-author

Low-birth-weight rate reduced by the obstetrical access project  California project lowered low birth weight by 33%. An incredibly dramatic result. This project led to major expansions in Medicaid prenatal care program.  One of my most significant accomplishments at CMS. 

 2)  Health Spending is Rising More Sharply Again

Raises important concerns. 

3) The President on ACA Progress 

Obama Announces 11.4 Million People Enroll In Marketplace Plans
Marketplace Website Still Has Many 'Back End' Glitches 

Affecting Insurer


Questions Grow About GOP, Administration Plans 

Should Supreme Court Reject Subsidies

4) How Medicare Was Made

Wish the title included Medicaid.  

Taxes and the ACA ++

1) Taxes

a) CBPP: Tara Straw pointed to our new guide to help tax preparers understand the new tax-filing rules related to health reform. Jessica Schubel discussed how states can (and can’t) change the way they implement health reform through waivers.

b) NYT: Tips for Navigating a Changing Tax Landscape

How to handle new forms related to the Affordable Care Act,

thwart identity theft, claim deductions for job searches, and 

other advice.

c) IRS Fact Sheet:  “2014 Tax Changes: Health Care Law Brings Updates to Tax Forms; Other Benefits Renewed” [FS-2015-9]

2)  Supreme Court Case 

Post: Millions at risk of losing coverage as justices take up challenge to Obamacare

This is a key article. Please share widely http://t.co/XJkwBc6j1h

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3) Key news: Enrollment deadline extended; Coverage Gap

a) Sun: Health enrollment deadline extended

http://fw.to/UWabzFH  Good news for those who started applications. Deadline is 2/28 for them.  Volunteers maybe needed.  Healthcare.gov is also extending the deadline as are some other States.  

b)  Millions In Health Coverage 'Gap' Won't Be Penalized

4) Death and dying

Atul Gawande on Frontline: Being Mortal

NPR host Diane Rehm emerges as a key force in the right-

to-die debatehttp://t.co/OUbAZM1yr6 via @washingtonpost



5) Businesses 

Congressional Research Service:  The Affordable Care Act and Small Business: Economic Issues

Area Development:  “Employers Still Struggling With the Affordable Care Act”

6) Data Systems 

Health System Data Center Explore Regional Performance

Shared Nationwide Interoperability Roadmap: The Journey 

to Better Health and Care

Encouraging. Best to see in above link.

Paperless Airplane: Business and Public Officials “United for the Purp...

Paperless Airplane: Business and Public Officials “United for the Purp...: As the new State administration considers transportation priorities for the next four years, business leaders and public officials met rec...

Spanish Language Broadcast on ACA; Cost Sharing +

1) Spanish Language Broadcast on ACA +

I appeared on a local Spanish TV/Radio Show sponsored by Montgomery County Government.  “Montgomery Al Dia” During the show I discussed the ACA and Safe Silver Spring. Here is the broadcast and my talking points.

http://tinyurl.com/youtubeMontgAlDia021015

http://t.co/UNnFJaimpC

2)   Cost Sharing in 2015 ACA Plans

Average cost sharing declines for lower-income enrollees

3) US Hospitals Experienced Substantial Productivity Growth 

During 2002–11

4) High deductibles are keeping people away from care

5)   Save the Children's Insurance

6)    Keep the Medical Device Tax  

7) Conservative Lobbying Group Works To Block Medicaid 

Expansion In GOP-Controlled States

Medicaid Pay Hike Opened Doors For Patients

Medicaid Pay Hike Opened Doors For Patients, Study Finds

High Court Weighs Whether Providers Can Sue States Over Medicaid Pay

How A State’s Choice On Medicaid Expansion Affects Hospitals

King v. Burwell: The Prohibitive Cost of Any Congressional Response to a Ruling Against the Affordable Care Act 

This article says if the Supreme Court rules against the ACA, it will be impossible for Congress to compensate.  

Poll Confirms That The Republican Party's Obamacare Strategy Is Extraordinarily Unpopular -Think Progress No Case for Killing the Medical Device Tax Projected Health Spending Has Fallen Since 2010, Even With Health Reform’s Coverage Expansions HHS proposes path to improve health technology and transform care IRS Eases Repayment Rules For Excess Health Premium Subsidies Final Push Underway For Obamacare Sign-Ups Ordinary Politics: Continuation of the Health Reform War by Other Means Obamacare’s not so bad after all, business leaders say Encouraging news in Texas, a state that did not expand Medicaid.   Piling On Work to Escape Gap in Health Law Four million adults in the 22 states that did not expand Medicaid earn too much for that program but too little to receive federal subsidies for coverage.  Ties into story just above.