2/1/11 CMS Administrator Berwick joined policy experts and providers to discuss "Achieving Care at Lower Costs through Accountable Care Organizations for an event at the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform. Nancy-Ann DeParle, former head of the White House Office of Health Reform, was slated to be a speaker, but was unable to join at the last minute due to matters related to her new position as deputy chief of staff. Read about the event, watch videos, and read excerpts from the day: brookings.edu Read Berwick's comments here:brookings.edu
2/1/11 Steve Larsen was named director of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (formerly OCIIO). Larsen led the work of the office in drafting ACA-related regulations to set minimum loss ratios and to review rates charged by insurance companies. Larsen succeeds Jay Angoff, who headed the office before it was recently transferred to the CMS. Angoff is currently at HHS as a senior advisor to the Secretary. Larsen had been serving as the director of the Office of Oversight under Angoff. Larsen's previous career includes six years as Maryland insurance commissioner.
1/28/11 HHS Secretary Sebelius released a new report illustrating how much money families and businesses can save on health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs under the ACA in 2014. Each year, a low-income family of four could save up to $14,900 and businesses will benefit from the savings and tax credits in the new law. The report also finds that the ACA will deliver premiums 14 to 20% lower for some individuals than if the law had not been enacted and points to "preliminary evidence" that provisions of the ACA already in place will contribute to rate increases in 2011 that are lower than in previous years. Read the report at:
HHS.Gov Read the blog post by HHS Asst. Secretary for Public Affairs:
Healthcare.gov
1/27/11 HHS Secretary Sebelius answered questions about health care reform issues during a live online Q&A roundtable. The Secretary fielded questions about issues that the President discussed in his 1/25/11 State of the Union Address. Watch the video at: Whitehouse.Gov. You can also read some of the Q&A at:Whitehouse.Gov.
1/27/11 Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner sent a letter to a number of small business trade organizations to ask for their help in getting the word out about the new Small Business Health Care Tax Credit created by the ACA. Secretary Geithner's letter included an informative pamphlet about increased coverage and health exchanges for the organizations to send to their members to help them make the most of the new tax credit this filing season.
Read the letter at: Treasury.Gov Read the pamphlet at:Treasury.Gov
1/27/11 HHS has granted 500 additional waivers to organizations that cannot fulfill the ACA's requirement for annual coverage limits, bringing a total to date of 733 waivers that have been granted. To date, the number of enrollees in plans with annual limits waivers is 2.1 million, representing about 1% of all Americans who currently have private health insurance. The waivers have been granted to "mini-med" plans that offer limited health coverage to employees. The waivers are intended to keep the insurance market stable until new state-run insurance exchanges become operational in 2014. Read the blog entry on waivers by Steve Larsen, Director of Oversight at OCIIO at:Healthcare.gov Read more about waivers at OCIIO's website: HHS.Gov
1/26/11 President Obama nominated several members to the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health. The group was established under the health reform law and will provide assistance to the National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health Council. The appointees include: Secretary JudyAnn Bigby, M.D., Valerie Brown, Jonathan Fielding, Ned Helms, Jr., Charlotte Kerr, Jeffrey Levi, Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, Vivek Murthy, Barbara Otto, Linda Rosenstock, John Seffrin, Susan Swider and Sharon Van Horn. For a full list of Presidential appointments please read the White House press release at: Whitehouse.Gov. The group, established in July 2010, provides recommendations to the National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health Council, established under §4001 of the ACA, on lifestyle-based chronic disease prevention and management, integrative health care practices and health promotion. To read more about the Council visit: Healthcare.gov
1/26/11President Barack Obama also officially re-nominated Donald Berwick to be CMS administrator. Berwick was originally nominated in April 2010 and ultimately skipped the nomination process altogether when the president used a recess appointment. His nomination was praised by Democrats and many health policy advocates and experts, but several GOP lawmakers opposed his nomination over his previous statements praising the British health care system. His re-nomination yesterday was immediately criticized by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee. Hatch stated that Republicans will expect a full hearing to "understand how the Administration is implementing the $2.6 trillion health law, its impact on the American people, and the consequences to future of Medicare and Medicaid." Read about the Presidential Nominations sent to the Senate, including Donald Berwick at:Whitehouse.Gov
