AHL’s TOP STORY: Obama, Health Insurance Executives Meet To Discuss Exchange Implementation

President Obama on Friday met with several insurance industry executives at the White House to coordinate the implementation of the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges and to discuss controlling premium rates, the New York Times reports.

AHL’s TOP STORY: Obama Administration Releases Final Essential Health Benefits Rule

The Obama administration yesterday issued a final rule outlining 10 broad categories of essential health benefits that most health insurance plans must offer in 2014 under the Affordable Care Act, Reuters reports (Reuters, 2/20).

AHL’s TOP STORY: Federal Government Will Run Health Insurance Marketplaces in 26 States

The federal government will run health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act in 26 states, while seven states will partner with the federal government and 17 states and the District of Columbia will run their own marketplaces, the Washington Post reports (Somashekhar, Washington Post, 2/15).

Open enrollment in the exchanges is slated to begin in October, with the marketplaces launching in January 2014. Under the ACA, states must create health insurance exchanges to provide coverage options for individuals and small businesses. States could choose to operate their own exchange, ask the federal government to run an exchange for them or partner with the government to operate an exchange (American Health Line, 2/15).

BACK AND FORTH: Sticks, Carrots and the Individual Mandate

Beginning in 2014, individuals who do not purchase insurance coverage will face a $95 penalty under the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate.

Health insurers fear that the penalty will not be enough to attract young, healthy individuals to purchase coverage. Without those individuals, premiums will “shoot through the roof” because the majority of individuals in the insurance pool will be sick, Politico reports.

AHL’s TOP STORY: Sebelius Says She Will Waive, Extend Deadline for Insurance Exchanges

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced she will extend or waive the deadline for states interested in running their own health insurance exchange or partnering with the federal government, the New York Times reports.

Under the Affordable Care Act, Sebelius was directed to determine “on or before Jan. 1, 2013,” whether states were prepared to run their own exchanges. However, instead of determining now whether the exchanges are ready, HHS will work with states and set timelines and goals to progress toward creating an exchange, according to the Times.

Gary Cohen, director of the federal Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, said, “There is no deadline,” adding, “We are going to give final approval once states demonstrate that they are able to satisfy all the requirements and meet all the conditions of operating an exchange.”

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2013: What Will Be The Biggest Health Policy Stories This Year?

In the health policy world, 2012 was a big year. The Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act, and President Obama’s re-election further solidified the law’s future. Medicare played a significant role in the presidential campaign, and budget sequestration added a new threat to providers’ Medicare payments. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act was reauthorized, and an outbreak of meningitis caused by tainted drugs from a compounding pharmacy in Massachusetts raised new questions about FDA oversight.

What health policy issues will make the biggest mark on 2013? To answer that, we asked American Health Line subscribers to weigh in. We received an overwhelming response, with answers from representatives of academia, advocacy organizations, legal groups, the media and think tanks. As Ilisa Halpern Paul, managing government relations director at DrinkerBiddle & Reath, said, “It looks to be another interesting and dynamic year in health policy.”

AHL’s TOP STORY: HHS Conditionally Approves Seven State-Run Exchange Plans, One Partnership Plan

HHS yesterday granted conditional approval to seven more states that intend to operate their own health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act, while Arkansas received conditional approval to partner with the federal government for its exchange, The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” reports. The seven states are California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Vermont.

BLOGGER VS. BLOGGER: Will User Fees for Federal Exchanges Be Passed on to Consumers?

Health insurers that offer plans in federal health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act must pay a user fee, according to draft regulations released by HHS, the New York Times reports.

AHL’s TOP STORY: HHS To Charge Insurers in Federal Exchanges a User Fee

Health insurers that offer plans in federal health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act must pay a user fee, according to draft regulations released by HHS on Friday, the Washington Post‘s “Wonkblog” reports.

AHL’s TOP STORY: HHS Extends Exchange Deadline for States

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in a letter to governors on Friday announced that states will have additional time to submit plans for health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act, the New York Times reports.