Recap of 2013 DBJ stories about ACA rollout in CO

2013 brought a bumper crop of news stories with major impact on Colorado business, from real estate and energy to travel and technology. Here, as part of the Denver Business Journal's Year in Review package of stories, we continue our look back at 13 of the most significant local business news stories covered by the Denver Business Journal through the year, in print and online, as voted by the DBJ news staff. Look for more top stories of 2013 every business day through New Year's Eve. And click here for more Year in Review coverage. Click here to read stories from the DBJ about the ACA rollout in CO.

Access to health care coming soon to homeless in Colorado

Harry Stahl walked into Colorado Springs emergency rooms twice this year, and went under a surgeon's knife once in Wyoming. He left each hospital feeling better - but without a home to go to while he healed. And being homeless, he left no doubt on his ability to pay for most of those medical bills. 

Come Jan. 1, access to health care for homeless people such as Stahl should vastly improve, and the level of care they receive could become far more advanced and holistic, homeless advocates and health care providers say. Meanwhile, the cost to hospitals for treating homeless people could decline - potentially reducing the amount of charitable care offered each year. Click here to read the full article by Jakob Rodgers.

University of Colorado Health system jumps into insurance business

University of Colorado Health will offer third-party administration service for companies' self-funded health insurance plans beginning in 2014, becoming the first hospital system in the state to get into that business. The new division -- UCHealth Plan Administrators -- expects that it can enable companies of at least 75 workers that have not self-funded their coverage before to do so, thereby learning more about how their disease-management and other health plans are effective or ineffective, said Kathy Major, executive director and vice president of the effort. Click here to read the full article by Ed Sealover with the Denver Business Journal.

Health Insurance Decreasing in Cost in CO's Rural Communities

DILLON, Colo. - The talk of higher premiums reported by Colorado's rural residents as a result of the Affordable Care Act - such as in Garfield and Summit Counties - is prompting analysts to take a closer look. The Colorado Center on Law and Policy found that residents living outside of the Front Range will in many cases pay less, when the tax credits available in those areas are taken into account. Click here to read the full article posted on publicnewsservice.org.

National Association of Broadcasters launches mental health campaign geared toward teenagers and young adults

The National Association of Broadcaster’s local television and radio stations, broadcast networks and entertainment industry partners have joined together to get the word out about OK2TALK. The campaign includes TV and radio PSAs that will run nationwide to open the door for more in-depth conversations about mental health in schools, the workplace, and among families and friends. The goal of OK2TALK is to create a community for teens and young adults struggling with mental health problems and encourage them to talk about what they’re experiencing by sharing their personal stories of recovery, tragedy, struggle or hope. Visit ok2talk.org for more information.

Roundup: Cost of Rural Health Insurance

Rural residents paying more for insurance, NY Times reports • Google gives $2 million grant to rural broadband project • Colorado secession faces local opposition • Rural Virginia voters not backing GOP candidate at usual levels. Click here to read more from these select articles posted via About the Daily Yonder, an online publication focusing on rural issues.

Obama apologizes to people losing health coverage

Bowing to intense criticism, President Barack Obama apologized to Americans who are losing health insurance plans he repeatedly said they could keep and pledged to find fixes that might allow people to keep their coverage.

"I am sorry that they are finding themselves in this situation based on assurances they got from me," he said in an interview Thursday with NBC News.

He added: "We've got to work hard to make sure that they know we hear them, and we are going to do everything we can to deal with folks who find themselves in a tough position as a consequence of this. Read more here.

Problems with federal health portal also stymie Medicaid enrollment

Problems with the federal health insurancewebsite have prevented tens of thousands of low-income people from signing up for Medicaid even though they are eligible, federal and state officials say, undermining one of the chief goals of the 2010health care law. Read more here.

5 key findings about PPACA Federal Exchange Health Plan offerings

The federal health insurance exchange offers health plans that are competitive, affordable and consistently meet minimum requirements, according to an analysis conducted by management consultant Abhay Padgaonkar of Innovative Solutions Consulting.

Mr. Padgaonkar examined county-level data available through HealthCare.gov, combined with demographic data from data solutions firm Synergos Technologies. Here are some of his key findings.

1. The average monthly premium for adults aged 50 or older for the second-lowest-cost silver plan is $386.

2. The average premium for the least expensive bronze plan is $174 for people under 50.

Find out more by clicking here.

March 2013: Medicare Advantage Update

Key Data Findings:

• From March 2012 to March 2013, rural enrollment in Medicare Advantage (MA) and other prepaid plans increased by over 200,000 enrollees, to more than 1.9 million. 

• Preferred provider organization (PPO) plan enrollment increased to nearly one million enrollees, accounting for more than 51% of the rural MA market (up from 48% in March 2012). 

• Health maintenance organization (HMO) enrollment continued to grow in 2013, with over 31% of the rural MA market, while private fee-for-service (PFFS) plan enrollment decreased to less than 10% of market share. 

• Despite recent changes to MA payment, rural MA enrollment continues to increase

Read the full article here.

Centura Health announces plan to improve healthcare in rural areas

Centura Health announced a new affiliation with Colorado Choice Health Plans as part of a plan to improve health care for Coloradans living in rural areas. Englewood-based Centura Health said it will work with the HMO "to develop new initiatives aimed at providing high-value programs and care for rural Colorado and giving new options for employers and organizations throughout the state." Centura Health operates 15 hospitals. Colorado Choice, which is based in Alamosa, has been around for 40 years and offers coverage to residents of 29 counties. Click here to read the full article by Wayne Hicks, Denver Business Journal.

Criminal allegations in NM behavioral health system no surprise to one advocate

“I haven’t read the audit” of the providers in question, “but I do have concerns about the … allegations because it wouldn’t surprise me,” said Carol Miller, a longtime critic of the way behavioral health is carried out in New Mexico. “Patients and beneficiaries are often the low priorities.” Earlier this summer, the state’s Human Services Department suspended payments to more than a dozen providers after an independent auditing firm from Boston confirmed what the department said was warning signs of potential misuse of dollars. Click here to read the full article by Rob Nikolewski of the New Mexico Watchdog.

Colorado’s Data Tangle Shows Strain for Obamacare Targets

With 33 days and counting until online health insurance exchanges must open for business, states are racing to fine-tune computer systems, educate consumers and manage expectations. Marketplaces in California and Oregon said this month that technical hurdles may force consumers to apply with a broker or counselor instead of online when the exchanges start Oct. 1. In Colorado, managers are literally working around the clock to ensure computer systems share accurate Medicaid data. Click here to read the full article by Jennifer Oldham and Annie Linskey, published August 28th, 2013.

How the ACA will impact veterans and their families

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently gave a presentation to HRSA and other HHS representatives here in Denver on the topic of how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will impact veterans and their families. They provided some resources to help veterans and their families understand what the ACA means for them, and where their decisions and choice points are. The links below can serve as resources for veterans who may be among your clients and have questions about their options when choosing between Health Insurance Marketplace participation and receipt of VA benefits. Check out: http://www.va.gov/health/aca/ or http://www.va.gov/health/aca/FAQ.asp

Exclusive: Technical snafus confuse charges for Obamacare plans

Technical glitches still plague the display of new healthcare plans to be offered to millions of uninsured Americans starting in 26 days, including how medical charges and deductibles are listed, industry officials say.

Health insurers planning to sell policies to people who are currently uninsured, under PresidentBarack Obama's healthcare reform, say they expect the problems will be remedied by October 1, when consumers will be able to buy health insurance from state exchanges. On Wednesday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the lead Obamacare agency, said it was on schedule to sign final agreements with insurers between September 9 and September 11, allowing them to sell specific policies on the exchanges.

"Our timeline remains the same," said CMS in a statement, "and we are working to ensure that any issues are resolved before open enrollment." Click here to read more.

How the Health Care Law is making a difference for the people of Colorado

Because of the Affordable Care Act, the 85% of Coloradans who have insurance have more choices and stronger coverage than ever before. And for the 15% of Coloradans who don’t have insurance, or Colorado families and small businesses who buy their coverage but aren’t happy with it, a new day is just around the corner.

Soon, the new online Health Insurance Marketplace will provide families and small businesses who currently don’t have insurance, or are looking for a better deal, a new way to find health coverage that fits their needs and their budgets.

Open enrollment in the Marketplace starts Oct 1, with coverage starting as soon as Jan 1, 2014. But Colorado families and small business can visit HealthCare.gov right now to find the information they need prepare for open enrollment.

The health care law is already providing better options, better value, better health and a stronger Medicare program to the people of Colorado by: read what better options are available be clicking here.

Study: PPACA Won't Cause Premium Increases for U.S. Overall

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act won't cause widespread increases in premiums on the individual insurance market, according to a RAND Corp. report.

Analysts found the U.S. overall and five of the 10 states they examined — Texas, Florida, Kansas, South Carolina and Pennsylvania — will see no change in individual health insurance premiums under the law. However, Minnesota, North Dakota and Ohio could see premium increases of up to 43 percent, according to the report.

In Louisiana and New Mexico, premiums standardized for age, actuarial value and tobacco use could decline under the reform law. In states where premiums go up, people could still pay less out-of-pocket for insurance coverage if they qualify for federal tax credits to cover part of their premiums, according to the report.

The PPACA won't produce significant overall changes in small group or small business premiums either, analysts found. Small group premiums standardized for age, actuarial value and tobacco use will remain unchanged for the U.S. overall and nine states — Texas, South Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Dakota, Louisiana, Minnesota, Kansas and Florida, according to the report. Read more here

The Commonwealth Fund Connection Survey: Millions of young adults gaining health coverage under Affordable Care Act, but awareness of new marketplaces still low

An estimated 7.8 million of the 15 million young adults who were enrolled in a parent’s health insurance plan last year likely would not have been eligible for this coverage without the health reform law’s dependent coverage provision, according to a new Commonwealth Fund survey. But as of March 2013, just 27 percent were aware of the new state health insurance marketplaces that are launching October 1.

Meanwhile, millions of low-income young adults are at risk of remaining uninsured if the states they live in choose not to expand Medicaid eligibility.

Visit commonwealthfund.org to read more about the survey findings and to check out our new infographic, "Young Adults Want Health Insurance." Read the full article here.

HHS extends equal coverage to same-sex Advantage beneficiaries in skilled-nursing facilities

All beneficiaries in Medicare Advantage plans will now receive access to equal coverage when it comes to care in a skilled-nursing facility where their spouse lives, regardless of sexual orientation, HHS announced Thursday.

The guidance specifies that certified married same-sex couples would be eligible for this equal coverage and care even if they reside in a state that does not legally recognized their marriage.

This is the first HHS guidance responding to the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which barred the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages. But it's not likely to have wide application because Medicare coverage of skilled-nursing care is limited and the odds of both spouses being in the facility for short stays at the same time is small. Read the full article here.

Reform Update: N.Y. joins controversial care-coordination pilot for dual-eligibles

Despite controversy surrounding a national pilot to coordinate coverage and care for people dually enrolled in Medicaid and Medicare, New York announced Monday it would join six other states in the demonstration headed by the CMS.

The program, called the Financial Alignment Initiative and authorized by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, has seen more than half of the 26 states that originally signed up either drop out or delay their start dates.

New York's demonstration, known as Fully Integrated Duals Advantage, is slated to begin after July 1, 2014, and run through the end of 2017. The program is intended to integrate and coordinate services in order to better address the long-term care and social needs for the 170,000 residents identified as dual-eligibles. Read the full article here.