Latest news with #LeslieDach
Axios
5 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Obamacare sticker shock could jolt Republicans
Pressure on Congress to renew Affordable Care Act subsidies is likely to ramp up this fall as notices of 2026 premium increases go out and consumers get their first warnings that huge rate hikes could be coming. Why it matters: Backers of renewing the enhanced tax credits, which expire at the end of this year, hope the sticker shock could motivate Republicans to get behind a short-term reauthorization to avoid an uproar over premium increases in an election year. What they're saying:"This is going to rain starting in October; people are going to start getting these notices," said Leslie Dach, chair of the Democratic-aligned group Protect Our Care. "And it comes right to your doorstep, right to your mailbox." Republicans in Congress, he said, are not "going to do anything until they see the light of their constituents' eyes here … so the most important thing is to be sure people know what's going on." The big picture: Out-of-pocket premium costs for over 20 million enrollees in the ACA marketplaces will increase by an average of 75% if the enhanced subsidies expire at the end of this year, according to KFF. Congressional scorekeepers also project 4.2 million more people would become uninsured over a decade. That puts Republicans in a bind heading into the midterm elections: stuck between resisting an expansion of the ACA and the fear of steep health cost increases for their constituents. Although some GOP lawmakers are open to a deal on an extension, there's substantial concern over the projected $335 billion cost over 10 years — and the often-expressed sentiment that the subsidies are a handout to insurance companies. Between the lines: When exactly people will get notices about premium increases for next year depends in part on whether they are in one of the 20 states that run their own ACA marketplaces, where notices typically go out earlier. Insurers at a minimum must send notices before Nov. 1, when sign-ups for next year begin. Those notices tend not to have completely up-to-date individualized information, so many people likely will not see exactly how much more they will pay. But this year insurers are in discussions about how best to make clear that the enhanced subsidies are expiring. They're likely to include language informing people and telling them to check the portal for the exact premium increase. "I think that this could turn into quite a political issue for an important voting bloc, and frankly, a constituency that the data suggests swung more heavily toward Republicans in the last elections," said Ceci Connolly, CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans. "This will hit pocketbooks directly." The other side: Brian Blase, president of Paragon Health Institute and a health official in the first Trump administration, said that when the enhanced subsidies were originally passed in 2021 they were meant as a "temporary COVID measure," and that it was Democrats who set them to expire.
The Hill
18-04-2025
- Health
- The Hill
SCOTUS to hear ObamaCare free care case
Experts say a Supreme Court case set for Monday puts that free care guarantee at risk. ObamaCare requires insurers to cover, without cost-sharing, more than 100 preventive health services recommended by an outside panel of experts called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The requirement extends coverage of evidence-based preventive services such as cancer screening, tobacco cessation, contraception and immunizations, without cost-sharing, to more than 150 million people each year. Without the requirement, health plans and employers can pick and choose which preventive services they cover. Cost-sharing will likely deter patients — particularly those of limited means — from scheduling those procedures. 'We know that if costs are reintroduced, people just don't seek care,' said Eric Waskowicz, senior state policy manager at the advocacy group United States of Care. 'And so I think we all have an interest in keeping no cost preventive care in place.' The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the case in June. 'The minute that provision gets struck down … we will be back at the mercy of the insurance companies. They'll still get the same premium from you, but they'll offer less services,' said Leslie Dach, executive chair of the Democratic-aligned group Protect Our Care. The lawsuit began in 2022 when a group of conservative Texas employers and individuals challenged the coverage requirement, arguing the task force's members are not appointed by the president or confirmed by the Senate, yet its recommendations are binding. Initially, a district court judge agreed with the plaintiffs and invalidated the entire task force. Last year, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the employers but limited the decision to just the eight Texas companies involved in the case, rather than nationwide. The Biden administration appealed. Then, in a surprising move, the Trump administration earlier this year said it will continue to defend the law. But some legal experts said the arguments being presented by the Justice Department indicate a desire to give Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. substantial control over an independent government task force. The administration argues the HHS secretary has the ultimate say over both the recommendations and the individual members of the panel, meaning he can dismiss members or block recommendations he does not agree with. Even if the court upholds the task force's constitutionality, 'the question will then be, will HHS follow the science and uphold the USPSTF recommendations, or will it take a different course? And that, obviously, is something that everyone will be watching very carefully,' said Andrew Pincus, a partner at Mayer Brown LLP. Pincus filed a brief on behalf of the American Public Health Association, which argued that invalidating the mandate could increase the cost of preventive care and the cost of health care overall, as patients would delay treatment for preventable diseases and emergencies.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New Spanish-language ad in GOP districts sounds alarm on Medicaid cuts
A new ad campaign seeks to alert Spanish-speaking voters in Republican-led swing districts on what is at risk for their health after Congress voted to advance spending plans including more than $800 billion in proposed cuts to Medicaid. Protect Our Care, which lobbies for the preservation of the Affordable Care Act, launched the six-figure radio campaign on Tuesday. The ad, which was provided in advance exclusively to The Hill, features two women discussing the impact Medicaid cuts will have on their families. 'With everything we are facing every day, can you imagine if my kids' health care coverage got taken away?' a woman asks in the ad. 'If Republicans in Congress are able to pass their plan to cut Medicaid, more than half of our kids could lose their health care,' she continues. The woman adds that she would be unable to afford her children's insurance the next time they got sick. 'Cuts to Medicaid also mean that our elders in long-term care could lose health care too,' a second woman points out. The first woman responds, 'One out of three Hispanics rely on Medicaid, so cutting it would be a direct attack against us.' More than 70 million Americans rely on Medicaid for health coverage, more than half of those are people of color, according to reporting from UnidosUS. More than 20 million Latinos and 13.3 million African Americans are on Medicaid, according to the report. Latino Americans overwhelmingly support Medicaid, polling from Protect Our Care and Hart Research found, and would disapprove of cuts to Medicaid funding. But the recent proposed budget cuts — including $880 billion to Medicaid over the next decade — have raised concerns about the racial disparities in health care coverage. Advocates including Protect Our Care have argued the cuts will exacerbate these health inequities, including driving up medical debt in communities of color, worsening health outcomes and leaving families without access to critical care. 'The Republican effort to gut a program that one in three Latinos rely on for health care will have devastating impacts on Hispanic communities nationwide,' Leslie Dach, chair of Protect Our Care, said in a statement. 'These ads expose Republicans for turning their backs on their Latino constituents just to give tax cuts to billionaires and big companies.' Some Republicans have also spoken out against the proposed cuts. Last month, members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus sent Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) a letter expressing their own concerns about the cuts. 'While we fully support efforts to rein in wasteful spending and deliver on President Trump's agenda, it is imperative that we do not slash programs that support American communities across our nation, nor underfund critical programs necessary to secure the border and keep our communities safe,' the letter said. The lawmakers added, 'Slashing Medicaid would have serious consequences, particularly in rural and predominantly Hispanic communities where hospitals and nursing homes are already struggling to keep their doors open.' Protect Our Care's ad campaign is part of an ongoing 10-million-dollar 'Hands Off Medicaid' campaign, which also includes TV and digital ads. The organization also plans to launch a direct mail campaign in 10 Republican swing districts. The new radio campaign will run in seven GOP-held districts, those of Reps. David Schweikert (Ariz.), David Valadao (Calif.), Young Kim (Calif.), Ken Calvert (Calif.), Andrew Garbarino (N.Y.), Rob Bresnahan (Penn.), and Dan Newhouse (Wash.). 'Latinos across the country are counting on Republicans to do the right thing and abandon these cuts to Medicaid,' said Dach. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
25-03-2025
- Health
- The Hill
New Spanish-language ad in GOP districts sounds alarm on Medicaid cuts
A new ad campaign seeks to alert Spanish-speaking voters in Republican-led swing districts on what is at risk for their health after Congress voted to advance spending plans including more than $800 billion in proposed cuts to Medicaid. Protect Our Care, which lobbies for the preservation of the Affordable Care Act, launched the six-figure radio campaign on Tuesday. The ad, which was provided in advance exclusively to The Hill, features two women discussing the impact Medicaid cuts will have on their families. 'With everything we are facing every day, can you imagine if my kids' health care coverage got taken away?' a woman asks in the ad. 'If Republicans in Congress are able to pass their plan to cut Medicaid, more than half of our kids could lose their health care,' she continues. The woman adds that she would be unable to afford her children's insurance the next time they got sick. 'Cuts to Medicaid also mean that our elders in long-term care could lose health care too,' a second woman points out. The first woman responds, 'One out of three Hispanics rely on Medicaid, so cutting it would be a direct attack against us.' More than 70 million Americans rely on Medicaid for health coverage, more than half of those are people of color, according to reporting from UnidosUS. More than 20 million Latinos and 13.3 million African Americans are on Medicaid, according to the report. Latino Americans overwhelmingly support Medicaid, polling from Protect Our Care and Hart Research found, and would disapprove of cuts to Medicaid funding. But the recent proposed budget cuts — including $880 billion to Medicaid over the next decade — have raised concerns about the racial disparities in health care coverage. Advocates including Protect Our Care have argued the cuts will exacerbate these health inequities, including driving up medical debt in communities of color, worsening health outcomes and leaving families without access to critical care. 'The Republican effort to gut a program that one in three Latinos rely on for health care will have devastating impacts on Hispanic communities nationwide,' Leslie Dach, chair of Protect Our Care, said in a statement. 'These ads expose Republicans for turning their backs on their Latino constituents just to give tax cuts to billionaires and big companies.' Some Republicans have also spoken out against the proposed cuts. Last month, members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus sent Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) a letter expressing their own concerns about the cuts. 'While we fully support efforts to rein in wasteful spending and deliver on President Trump's agenda, it is imperative that we do not slash programs that support American communities across our nation, nor underfund critical programs necessary to secure the border and keep our communities safe,' the letter said. The lawmakers added, 'Slashing Medicaid would have serious consequences, particularly in rural and predominantly Hispanic communities where hospitals and nursing homes are already struggling to keep their doors open.' Protect Our Care's ad campaign is part of an ongoing 10-million-dollar 'Hands Off Medicaid' campaign, which also includes TV and digital ads. The organization also plans to launch a direct mail campaign in 10 Republican swing districts. The new radio campaign will run in seven GOP-held districts, those of Reps. David Schweikert (Ariz.), David Valadao (Calif.), Young Kim (Calif.), Ken Calvert (Calif.), Andrew Garbarino (N.Y.), Rob Bresnahan (Penn.), and Dan Newhouse (Wash.). 'Latinos across the country are counting on Republicans to do the right thing and abandon these cuts to Medicaid,' said Dach.
