Tag Archives: Health Insurance/Health Plans

In memoriam: Barney Speight

Former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber and other health policy leaders say Speight had a hand in key reforms that expanded access and coverage over his decades-long career. Many of us who have been engaged in the world of Oregon health care, health coverage and health policy sadly noted the death of Barney Speight, who would have […]
Read More »

Biden team’s tightrope: reining in rogue Obamacare agents without slowing enrollment

President Joe Biden counts among his accomplishments the record-high number of people, more than 21 million, who enrolled in Obamacare plans this year. Behind the scenes, however, federal regulators are contending with a problem that affects people’s coverage: rogue brokers who have signed people up for Affordable Care Act plans, or switched them into new […]
Read More »

Biden team’s tightrope: Reining in rogue Obamacare agents without slowing enrollment

Unscrupulous agents are reportedly switching unwitting consumers’ plans. Officials are considering making it harder for agents to access consumers’ information, but that could make it harder to enroll low-income people. Federal regulators are contending with a problem that affects people’s coverage: rogue brokers who have signed people up for Affordable Care Act plans, or switched […]
Read More »

More people buy private health insurance plans as thousands lose Medicaid coverage

The number of people buying private health insurance policies on the federal marketplace rose slightly this year in Oregon as thousands lost Medicaid coverage. The Oregon Health Authority said in its annual marketplace report published Tuesday that nearly 146,000 people bought a private plan for 2024, marking an increase of more than 2% over last […]
Read More »

ACA plans are being switched without enrollees’ OK

Some consumers covered by Affordable Care Act insurance plans are being switched from one plan to another without their express permission, potentially leaving them unable to see their doctors or fill prescriptions. Some face large IRS bills for back taxes. Unauthorized enrollment or plan-switching is emerging as a serious challenge for the ACA, also known […]
Read More »

Rising complaints of unauthorized Obamacare plan-switching and sign-ups trigger concern

Consumers are reportedly seeing their insurance plans switched amid record Affordable Care Act enrollment, spurring calls for crackdowns on unscrupulous agents. Federal and state regulators aren’t doing enough to stop the growing problem of rogue health insurance brokers making unauthorized policy switches for Affordable Care Act policyholders, say consumers, agents, nonprofit enrollee assistance groups, and […]
Read More »

The Great Medicaid Purge was worse than expected 

State Library Ed. Note: If you cannot access this story via the link below, state employees can access this Washington Post story HERE via the State Library’s subscription to the US Newstream database. Alternatively, state employees can contact us for access: LibraryHelp.SLO@slo.oregon.gov or 503-378-8800. It’s a tale of two countries: In some states, public officials are trying to make government work […]
Read More »

ACA plans are being switched without enrollees’ OK

Amid record Affordable Care Act enrollment, some insurance agents are complaining that their rivals are switching their customers to get monthly commissions. Some consumers covered by Affordable Care Act insurance plans are being switched from one plan to another without their express permission, potentially leaving them unable to see their doctors or fill prescriptions. Some […]
Read More »

Most Oregonians keep their Medicaid benefits as state unwinds pandemic-era protections

More than four out of five Oregonians on the Oregon Health Plan have kept their Medicaid benefits so far as the state continues to unwind the pandemic-era protections that kept people enrolled in the health benefits regardless of their eligibility. This means more than 1 million low-income Oregonians will continue to receive the free health […]
Read More »

Change Healthcare hack highlights lack of medical industry’s cybersecurity

State Library Ed. Note: If you cannot access this story via the link below, state employees can access this Washington Post story HERE via the State Library’s subscription to the US Newstream database. Alternatively, state employees can contact us for access: LibraryHelp.SLO@slo.oregon.gov or 503-378-8800. There are many reasons medical providers are so vulnerable to hackers. For one, they are willing to […]
Read More »