Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Republicans Are Right: Obamacare Is Redistribution + more

This edition has lots of news. 


1)  This spells it out very nicely how the ACA is shifting funds from the wealthy to the lower and middles classes. 


I'm a sucker for a pie chart RT : Interesting piece on who's paying for Obamacare -- with a pie chart!

More by Maggie Fox later

2)


Health Care Exchange Is Vastly Improved, Users Say

 3)
If you don't qualify for financial help to reduce your health insurance costs, you can always apply directly to insurance companies for coverage. Prices are the same as plans through us. Learn more: http://ow.ly/rAwF0

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My comment

Looks like some useful information here.  One can sign up directly with a plan or through an broker listed as authorized producers if you are not Medicaid or subsidy eligible. Do not know anything about the authorized producers.  As mentioned,  I recommend using SteveMorse.org to compare plans, etc.  Anyone know anything about the authorized producers on the list. 

 4)
Important issues raised here.  Plans are limiting drug coverage.  See also

Things you need to know about the Affordable Care Act and prescription drugs — but probably don’t

Useful  advice, plus has a photo from Saturday's enrollment fair.  More of Andrew Harrar's photos from Saturday.

If you goto www.gettyimages.com and search my name HARRER HEALTH under editorial images. You will see them all from the shoot.

5) By Maggie Fox, NBC News and a Silver Spring resident

I just instantly burst into tears': Medical worker finally gets insurance on Obamacare website

6) Baltimore Sun 
Health exchange officials face deadline for repairs

Wish  I could get them to listen to my suggestions. 

7) 

The Washington Post’s The Fix: How Does Your County Stack Up On Health Insurance? Consult This Interactive Map.

Value Penguin provides info similar to Morse but not as comprehensive, but still very useful. This is a nice chart to have. 

8) 

8 Dec  

KFF has more than 200 answers to frequently asked questions on the . Learn more about how the law will impact you

Kaiser's site looks useful.  

9) 
Updates to and How to Combat Issues Enrolling Consumers via

This has some useful advice on problems with enrollment. Not sure I buy into all. 
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Monday, December 9, 2013

1) WSJ: More on Silver Spring; 2) Total costs maybe High3) Medicaid enrollment changes

Lots of significant developments

1) Health-Site Snafus Plague Maryland Enrollments Trickle In at State-Run Insurance Exchange, Once Hoped to Serve as a Model for Others
This article was based on our Silver Spring enrollment fair.  
Here are my photos from the fair.  

More info about the fair was included in Saturday's blog.

http://tinyurl.com/hra120413ssfair


2)  

a) On Health Exchanges, Premiums May Be Low, but Other Costs Can Be High 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/09/us/on-health-exchanges-premiums-may-be-low-but-other-costs-can-be-high.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-nytimes

b) High Deductibles Fuel New Worries of Health-Law Sticker Shock: Some Lower-Cost Plans Carry Steep Deductibles, Posing Financial Challenge

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303330204579246211560398876?mod=WSJ_hps_LEFTTopStories

3)  Medicaid Workaround Bypasses Healthcare.gov to Transmit Applicant Data

Very glad to see that the States can go around Healthcare.gov to enroll folks. Something I have been advocating for awhile. Hope Maryland either can also do or change quickly.

4)
Amid Health Law Uproar, Optimism and Relief. 

5) One ripple effect of  troubles: growing role of agents, growing exposure for plans. 

As reported on Saturday, @GetCoveredUS: Know someone who could use a hand with their health insurance app? Tell them they can get free help: gtcvrd.am/1bq5J8k” 

When I plugged 20901 into the locator, I got Deco Recovery Management, Landover office.  They do cover insurance. I just spoke to them. They have been trained by the Feds via an online course to serve as navigators in South Carolina. No listings for Baltimore or NYC. 

Under the circumstances, we will need these agents.  Hope HHS figures it out and the public is made aware of their availability.

6).  "Are you people on crack cocaine?" Md. health exchange contractors' in-fighting plagues site's launch. 

7) 30m
Here's the press release from NY State of Health exchange: (Kudos for such regular updates!)


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Sunday, December 8, 2013

Insurance Agents Feeling Left Out of 'Obamacare'

1) Insurance Agents Feeling Left Out of 'Obamacare' 

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2013/12/08/us/ap-us-health-overhaul-insurance-brokers.html?hp


 2). “: Know someone who could use a hand with their health insurance app? Tell them they can get free help:”

 Get covered provides links to insurance brokers.  The one for 20901 was Deco recovery management, landover office.  Called saturday and got answering machine.  None in Baltimore, nor NYC. Anyone know anything about Deco Recovery. 
3) kff:  Recent analysis: An overview of "fast track" enrollment options for in AR, IL, OR and WV 

Wonder if Maryland and other states could take advantage of this or have they.
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Saturday, December 7, 2013

Successful Silver Spring enrollment fair today

We had about 60 persons come to enroll. Only 3 the previous week. Some could not wait and pre-registered for next week.  There are fairs on 12/14 and 12/21 in 5 locations in the Capital Region.  Mark Ferrenz and I were volunteers helping sign folks in, etc.  There were 5 navigators, 2-3 assisters, an IT person, and Mary Anderson from HHS press office.  Unfortunately, the computers froze shortly after the session started.  However, the navigators worked with folks on filling out the paper applications and advised on plan options.  Press were there from Wall St Journal, Bloomberg News, and Channel 9.  The D20 team paid for lunch for staff and promoted the event.  All in all very good event despite the problems. I hope we can provide volunteers for next two weekends at several sites.

I shared morse's site with the folks waiting and several found very useful.  As indicated, the capital region staff have found it very useful.

Hope my emails to 10,000 individuals helped with turnout

 Here are photos taken by Ed Kimmel
 Ed Kimmel's photos
Posted by at 2 comments:

Morse expands his website +

1)   At the request of Maryland's Capital Region Connector staff, Steve Morse has added to his site, a calculator for the cost sharing subsidy.  

http://www.stevemorse.org/obamacare/obamacare.html 

2) Here's hoping that today's ACA enrollment fair goes well in Silver Spring and about 6 other locations in the Capital  Region.  As you know, the D20 team is cosponsoring the Silver Spring fair.  There will also be fairs on 12/14 and 12/21 at many of these same locations.   

3)  
Covered California exchange gave consumers' contact info to agents

Bad move. They could have asked the folks if they would like to be contacted by an agent.  

4) Sorry to read about RebeccaPearce's resignation as Executive Director of Maryland Health Connection.  Did not know her, and do not know enough details about her leadership. Clearly the organization has had problems. Wish her the best.  

5)
What if young adults eligible for their parents’ plans want to purchase their own coverage through the exchanges?
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Friday, December 6, 2013

Simplified Medicaid Enrollment + more

1) 4m
“: Simplified Medicaid Enrollment? Read more from ”

Glad to see, I have suggested this for a couple of months. Seemed obvious solution.  Hope even more Medicaid folks can enter this way.  

On another front, at a Capital Regional Connector meeting today, several of the connector agencies and their navigators said morse's site is very helpful.,


2) 
An Owner Figures Out How to Save on His Health Insurance

3) Healthy Young America Video Contest: Winners and finalists

http://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/videocontest

4) Maryland Health Connection Update 120613

Useful info.  However, Maryland has a lot of changes and improvements to make. Hope they listen to my suggestions.  

5)

9m
Obamacare causes involuntary part-time employment to plummet in November

I think good news along with the other employment data.  

6)
RT : Court blocks UnitedHealthcare from dropping CT doctors from Medicare Advantage plans

We just got a lot more detail about what’s going wrong with ’s 834s:

Seems like important progress. 
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Wednesday, December 4, 2013

SS Enrollment Fair 12/7; 5 tips for HHS site; + and - articles including MD


1) Here are details on enrollment fair on Saturday 12/7

Silver Spring ACA enrollment fair 120713 MoCo HHS D20 sponsors

http://tinyurl.com/127ACAMocoD20


Saturday, December 7, 2013 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services
8818 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring 20910
Bilingual help available.

Sponsored by Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services
Maryland Health Connection

Thank you to Senator Jamie Raskin, and Delegates Sheila Hixson, Tom Hucker and Heather Mizeur for sponsoring this event.

Please spread the word and encourage all to attend who are interested, having problems, etc. 




 2)
http://dailynightly.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/12/03/21741884-5-tips-for-signing-up-for-insurance-on-healthcaregov?lite

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/consumer-reports-backs-health-care-site


Very useful change including info on consumer reports. Morse site has much more info: premiums, subsidies, quality, doctors, all 1 page.  See  http://tinyurl.com/usaexchanges


3) See my email from today with more info about ACA and other issues

http://t.co/hZuRv4gtXA 

4) From the White House

Health reform stories you probably haven't been hearing:

 Asks you to share the stories. Very easy to do. 


5) There are articles both + and - on the ACA.
a) Maryland articles, quite negative

i)
5m
Not just ; spent more than hour trying to sign up someone on ; site failed and couldn't get call ctr

ii) Despite troubles, state keeps goal for health exchange

 Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-md-health-reform-hearing-20131203,0,7875915.story#ixzz2mXI78zoe

 iii) Problems continue for Maryland insurance exchange

http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-md-rodricks-1203-20131203,0,6393517.column

b)
34m
Oops - another ACA "horror story" pushed by the GOP turns out to be 100% bogus.

c) 
Obama to Defend Health Law as Economic Benefit
New York Times


d) 

What's More Powerful Than Politics? Profit—at Least for Health Insurers National Journal


e)
New Obamacare weapon for GOP: Doctors

Politico


Some vulnerability here.  

f)


Is this bad or good news 


g) The Rachel Maddow Show
California Republicans have set up a website about Obamacare that is designed to confuse, mislead and frighten the public.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/calif-gop-reaches-the-bottom
 

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