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Health Care
Health Care
The Big Story
Biden administration finalizes action on 'junk plans'
The White House this week issued a long-delayed rule cracking down on insubstantial health insurance plans that don’t have to meet ObamaCare’s consumer protection requirements.
© AP
A final rule released Thursday would roll back a Trump-era policy that drastically expanded what Biden officials and Democratic critics call “junk” plans.
The new policy limits the duration of the insurance plans to three months, with the option of a one-month extension and no renewal after the extension. Plans will also be required to provide consumers with a clear explanation of the limits of the coverage they provide.
Democrats have been urging the Biden administration to roll back the Trump administration’s policy for years.
Short-term plans were originally meant to be temporary safety nets to help people avoid gaps in health coverage, such as if they were transitioning between jobs. The Obama administration passed regulations aimed at limiting their use, imposing a limit of less than three months.
But in an effort to weaken the Affordable Care Act, the Trump White House made short-term plans more accessible. People could stay on the plans for a year, and they could be renewed for up to three years, rather than three months. After that, they could apply again and renew for another three years.
People being sold short-term plans have often been told they are cheaper than ObamaCare-compliant coverage, but not about the limits of coverage. So people with preexisting medical conditions could be charged more or even denied coverage.
Welcome to The Hill’s Health Care newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.
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Essential Reads
How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond:
RFK Jr.’s running mate Shanahan shares vaccine skepticism
In tech lawyer Nicole Shanahan, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has tapped a running mate who shares his skepticism of vaccines. Shanahan has said she supports Kennedy because of his views on children’s health and the causes of chronic diseases, including vaccines. In an interview with Newsweek this week about why she is running, Shanahan defended Kennedy’s views on vaccines and took issue with the “anti-vaxxer” label, which …
Full Story Kansas lawmakers send bill banning gender-affirming care for minors to governor’s desk
Kansas could become the latest state to ban gender-affirming health care for minors after its Republican-dominated Legislature sent a bill prohibiting transgender youth from accessing treatments such as puberty blockers and hormones to the governor’s desk. The bill, which passed both the state House and Senate on Wednesday, is expected to be rejected by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who vetoed a similar measure last …
Full Story Senators stand up for potatoes as a vegetable amid reports of USDA change
Fourteen senators are calling on the departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) to keep the potato classified as a vegetable, amid reports that a joint advisory committee is considering “the interchangeability of starchy vegetables and grains.” In a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, the senators on Tuesday made the case that the potato is a vegetable, not a grain, …
Full Story In Other News
Branch out with a different read:
Poland’s president vetoes law on free access to morning-after pill for ages 15 and above
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s President Andrzej Duda on Friday vetoed a law that would have allowed over-the-counter access to the morning-after pill for girls and women ages 15 and above, his office said. Duda said he was concerned about the health of minors and heeding the voices of parents. A statement by Duda’s office said the president …
Full Story Around the Nation
Local and state headlines on health care:
- Mississippi Senate passes Medicaid 'expansion lite,' banks on Trump victory in November (Clarion Ledger)
- Kansas Senate committee tables medical marijuana bill until 2025 legislative session (Kansas Reflector)
- Tuberculosis cases rising in California, and state officials are sounding the alarm (Los Angeles Times)
What We're Reading
Health news we've flagged from other outlets:
- People in Republican-voting states more likely to report Covid-19 vaccine side effects, study says (Stat)
- Joe Biden is in a race against the clock to cement his health care legacy (Politico)
- A ‘divinely created’ being: States try to define fetal personhood (The Washington Post)
What Others are Reading
Most read stories on The Hill right now:
GOP Biden impeachment witness sues Fox News co-host Tarlov
Tony Bobulinski, a former associate of Hunter Biden, filed a $30 million defamation lawsuit against Fox News host Jessica Tarlov over comments about … Read more
Fears grow over Comstock Act, Justices Thomas, Alito
Abortion-rights supporters are sounding the alarm that conservative Supreme Court justices want to use a long-dormant law to enforce a nationwide abortion … Read more
What People Think
Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill:
- How to improve preparedness for the next pandemic
- The new frontier for reproductive health could be an opportunity for Republicans
You're all caught up. See you Monday!
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