What We’re Reading and Listening To

Net Neutrality: Did you stop to think that the repeal of net neutrality rules could impact health disparities? Neither did we, until we read this op-ed suggesting…

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A Camel is a Horse Designed by a Committee

A final tax bill has been negotiated by conference committee and initial details began emerging yesterday. Action is expected in the Senate as early as Monday. A conference committee may have…

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A Lump of Coal Wrapped Up with a Bow?

According to folklore, kids who misbehave get a lump of coal on Christmas morning instead of a present. While Congressional Republicans assuredly deserve that lump of coal, we’re…

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WA State Health Care Access: Room for Improvement

Our state’s annual health care quality report, the Community Check-up, was released last week and identified gaps in care. Unfortunately, an insurance card doesn’t necessarily mean access to care…

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Children and Community Health Centers Dangling by a String

Congress got waylaid in its protracted efforts to take down the ACA, causing it to move directly to the tax bills. Meanwhile, families, clinics and states are wondering what…

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Open Enrollment Continues to See Gains

We are almost one month into Open Enrollment for individual health insurance! In the first two weeks, Washington’s HealthPlanFinder reported a 58% increase in enrollments over the same…

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And If Ongoing Congressional Threats to the ACA Weren’t Enough…

The Trump Administration is proposing to gut standards for coverage of health benefits in the individual insurance market. In late October, the Administration released their proposed 2019 “payment…

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Changes on the Horizon Following Election Day

Democratic candidates for Governor won in both Virginia and New Jersey – providing optimism for Democrats preparing for next year’s mid-term elections. At home, the WA State Senate flipped…

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A Health & Human Services Nominee Straight Out of Pharma

After the resignation of Health & Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price amid scandal, President Trump announced his replacement pick, Alex M. Azar. Most recently an executive at…

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Insurance Coverage Sign-ups Surge After Open Enrollment Begins

President Trump slashed outreach and enrollment funding and ended cost-sharing reduction payments to disrupt the Exchange. Open Enrollment began on November 1 and enrollment has surged across…

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