Week of February 10 - In Case You Missed It...TOMF Medical News Roundup
February 26, 2014
In Case You Missed It
February 14, 2014
Tucson Ranks Well for a Change
When it comes to new health insurance prices, Tucson is fourth lowest in the country according to Kaiser Health News.
For a 40-year-old man, purchasing a silver plan from a health exchange, only Minneapolis ($154/mo), NW Pennsylvania ($164/mo) and middle Minnesota ($166/mo) have lower monthly premiums than Tucson ($167/mo). Kaiser attributes the low cost to robust competition and mature managed care structures. For the analysis, click here.
Arizona Reaches 100,000 Obamacare Sign-ups
With over 1 million uninsured citizens, Arizona was one of the states expected to benefit most from the Affordable Care Act. So how're we doing?
According to yesterday's Arizona Daily Star 45,000 Arizonans have signed up for health insurance through the federal marketplace and 56,333 had taken advantage of expanded eligibility to enroll in AHCCCS. There has been no analysis of how many people signed up because employers ended insurance December 31 or because old plans were cancelled under the new law's provisions.
Seventy-two percent of those purchasing insurance through the marketplace qualified for federal subsidies. Seventeen percent of the 45,000 who enrolled through the marketplace are younger than age 18 - because Arizona is the only state not to continue the Children's Health Insurance Program.
Hospitals Hope Subsidies & Insurance Bolster Bottom Lines
It is too early to tell if newly insured Arizonans will help area hospitals but the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association (AzHHA) anticipates a positive impact on uncompensated care.
Good thing.
According to a AzHHA memorandum authored by Jim Haynes, AzHHA CEO, Arizona hospital uncompensated care reached $886 million last year, $129 million higher than 2012, $402 million more than 2011 and $472 million more than 2010.
In Case You Missed It...
February 11, 2014
Latest on Obamacare in Arizona: Suits and Numbers
There has not been much local news coverage locally about Obamacare progress in Arizona but The Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers latest newsletter (dated Feb. 14) provides some interesting details.
"Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Katherine Cooper issued her ruling on Medicaid expansion Friday, February 7th, dismissing the lawsuit filed by 36 Republican Legislators, Tom Jenney (Arizonans for Prosperity) and two citizens.
"The suit contested the way the Legislature approved the hospital assessment as the funding source for Medicaid expansion by a majority vote. The plaintiffs' argument was that the hospital assessment is actually a tax on hospitals and the patients who use the hospital and that the Arizona constitution and Proposition 108 requires a supermajority or a 2/3rds vote to pass a tax increase.
"Judge Katherine Cooper stated is the Legislature itself that determines if a 2/3 vote is required under a voter-approved constitutional amendment called Proposition 108.
"This is not likely to be the final challenge to the Medicaid Restoration. The suit was filed by the Goldwater Institute on behalf of the 36 Republican legislators and the Goldwater Institute has made it clear that they plan to appeal.
"Hospitals backed the assessment because they expect to see a much bigger reduction in the cost of treating uninsured patients. The hospital assessment is expected to collect $256 million in the state's 2015 budget year to pay the state's share of expanding Medicaid to about 300,000 people. Coverage began Jan. 1, and the most recent figures from the state' Medicaid program show about 98,000 people have gained coverage so far.
"Numbers on enrollment in the Marketplace and AHCCCS
"As of February 1, 2014, there were 37,089 Arizonans who enrolled in the Healthcare Marketplace. Navigator, CAC and community organizations will be promoting large enrollment events the last week in February in an effort to increase the number of people enrolled in the marketplace.
"AHCCCS reports that 98,203 adults have been approved for AHCCCS health insurance coverage as of January 10, 2014. According to the AHCCCS report, 96,834 are childless adults between 0-100% FPL and 1,369 are adults in the new expansion category between 100-133% FPL."
Yuma Child Dies from Flu Complications
Arizona Department of Health Services sent a news release out over the weekend that a child who suffered from underlying medical conditions, died in Yuma from flu complications. It is Arizona's first pediatric death of the season.
ADHS advises physicians to remind patients to stay home when they are sick and to take "proper respiratory etiquette" to prevent spread of the flu.
ADHS also said flu vaccination locations can be found at www.azdhs.gov/flu