Mara Lee
Modern Healthcare
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Past articles by Mara:
Left in the lurch: Ongoing uncertainty is taking a toll on health insurers
Even though Congress shifted its focus from bulldozing the Affordable Care Act to stabilizing the troubled individual market in the short term, big questions remain. → Read More
Momentum builds for bipartisan compromise on ACA fixes
Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander continues to look for areas of bipartisan agreement that don't cost more money and can settle the troubled individual insurance market as he faces increased calls to guarantee cost-sharing subsidies. → Read More
Lawmakers look for compromise to stabilize health insurance markets
The chairman of the Senate health committee says he's looking for short-term fixes that Republicans and Democrats can agree on in the next 10 days so Congress can influence ACA insurance rates for 2018. → Read More
What to watch for as Senate healthcare hearings get underway
Health insurers, providers and others will be listening closely to Senate committee hearings this week to get a sense of what a potential bill will look like and how it will impact the individual insurance market. → Read More
The first of four hearings on Wednesday will inform that bill will be convened.
As the Heath, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee races to produce a market stabilization bill, they'll hold the first two of four hearings on what should be done for the individual market. → Read More
Experts: States can adjust to lower CHIP match if they have time to prepare
Insiders say Congress will not pull the enhanced match for CHIP, at least not next year. But it's not clear if legislators can get funding finalized next month. → Read More
HHS ordered to explain Medicare outlier payment formula
HHS' outlier payment program has been subject to scrutiny after more than 100 hospitals manipulated data to score more reimbursement money for their exceptionally expensive patients. → Read More
DOJ, Mylan finalize $465 million EpiPen Medicaid settlement
Mylan allegedly misclassified EpiPens as a generic drug, which may have cost the government up to $1.27 billion in lost Medicaid rebates, according to federal estimates. → Read More
Changes to 340B drug discount rule delayed until July 2018
A rule that would set new ceiling prices in the 340B drug discount program has been delayed until mid-2018 while HHS considers alternative regulations. → Read More
CBO: End of CSRs would add to federal deficit
The CBO says that ending CSR payments to insurers would cost the federal government more than continuing to pay them, because insurers would hike premiums, and subsidies would then rise as well. → Read More
CBO to weigh in on cost-sharing reduction payments
The Congressional Budget Office is set to release a report detailing what could happen to insurance markets if the federal government stops making cost-sharing reduction payments. → Read More
Large employers increasingly leaning on value-based contracts
Large employers are seeing a 5% increase in healthcare costs from last year. That represents the fifth straight year of 5% increases. → Read More
Q&A with Reed: 'An incremental approach may be the way we have to proceed'
Despite resistance from some colleagues, Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) thinks a majority of Republicans in the House could sign onto an Obamacare fix. → Read More
Senate confirms surgeon general, HHS officials
On the last day before leaving for August recess, the Senate approved nominees for several key HHS leadership positions, including the new assistant secretary for mental health and substance abuse. The Senate on Thursday afternoon unanimously passed the nominations of Dr. Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for health; Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, assistant secretary for mental health and substance… → Read More
Surgeon general, other HHS nominees get committee approval
HHS is still waiting for Senate approval for 11 nominees; five passed out of committee Wednesday. → Read More
Bipartisan coalition looks to solve problem of individual market
In the wake of the Congress' failure to pass a bill repealing and replacing Obamacare, the so-called Problem Solvers Caucus is advancing a set of principles aimed at bringing stability to a shaky insurance market. → Read More
With ACA repeal dead, shoring up the individual market moves to center stage
The dramatic collapse of the GOP's efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act have, for now, minimized the threat of significant Medicaid funding cuts. All eyes now turn to what the Trump administration and Congress will do about a shaky individual insurance market. The administration could put its thumb on the scale for an Obamacare failure it has been rooting for by cutting off… → Read More
BREAKING: Senate fails to pass 'skinny' ACA repeal bill
For the third time in three days, a majority of Republicans failed to coalesce around a way to repeal and replace Obamacare, as Republicans from the center and right voted no on a "skinny repeal." → Read More
Even a 'skinny' Obamacare repeal prospect alarms insurers
As Senate Republicans consider taking up a slimmed-down version of their ACA repeal bill that would preserve health insurance subsidies and Medicaid expansion, several insurers warn it could grievously damage the individual market. → Read More
Senate fails to pass ACA repeal and delay bill
Another failed vote reveals the deep divide between Senate Republican moderates and the conservative flank on how to repeal and replace Obamacare. → Read More