How to Keep ACA Stabilization Narrow August 31, 2017 Perspective In this column for Axios, Drew Altman discusses the main challenges for members and media coverage as members take up the issue of stabilization of the Affordable Care Act.
How Single Payer Helps Republicans Change the Subject September 14, 2017 Perspective In this Axios column, Drew Altman analyzes the political pros and cons of single payer for Democrats and whether it will shift the focus from the Republicans’ failed effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act to the Democrats new sweeping plan.
Keeping the Alexander-Murray Health Care Bill in Context October 23, 2017 Perspective This Drew Altman Axios column describes the scale of the problems in the ACA marketplaces and the public’s confusion about whether they are impacted. He says that the news media, experts and policy makers can do more to put the marketplace problems and fixes in context as debate evolves.
How the Elections Could Put the Brakes on Anti-ACA Plans November 10, 2017 Perspective In this Axios column, Drew Altman examines the role of health care in Virginia’s elections and the referendum on Medicaid expansion in Maine. His assessment: the elections and the referendum will have a bigger impact on upcoming policy debates about cutting Medicaid to pay for tax cuts, and state interest in Medicaid expansion, than on upcoming elections.
JAMA Forum: The Health Care Law that Continues to Escape Death November 20, 2017 Perspective In this November 2017 post for The JAMA Forum, Larry Levitt reviews the status of the Affordable Care Act following actions by the Trump administration widely perceived as designed to undermine the marketplaces. Despite assertions to the contrary, Levitt finds, “at least for now, the ACA seems very much alive.”
ACA Mandate Repeal May Be Less Popular Than GOP Thinks December 5, 2017 Perspective In this Axios column, Drew Altman discusses how public opinion seems to flip on eliminating the individual mandate as part of the tax legislation, from for it to against, when the public considers the consequences.
The Trump Administration’s Hidden Attacks on the Affordable Care Act January 5, 2018 Perspective In a Washington Post op-ed, “The Trump administration’s hidden attacks on the Affordable Care Act,” Larry Levitt discusses the latest proposed regulations by the Trump administration to expand association health plans: changes that could wound the ACA insurance marketplace, but are unlikely to make it collapse.
Red-State Changes Could Strengthen ACA, Medicaid March 12, 2018 Perspective In an Axios column, Drew Altman discusses how, ironically, efforts by red states to move their ACA marketplaces and their Medicaid programs in more conservative directions could end up strengthening the ACA and Medicaid politically over the longer term.
JAMA Forum: Single-Payer Health Care: Opportunities and Vulnerabilities March 14, 2018 Perspective In this March 2018 post for The JAMA Forum, Larry Levitt unpacks the elements of a single payer health plan to understand its policy aims and how they might be accomplished, as well its political opportunities and vulnerabilities.
The Politics of ACA Rate Hikes Will Be 2016 in Reverse April 4, 2018 Perspective Democrats are expected to turn the tables and attack Republicans for rising premiums and sabotaging the Affordable Care Act. In his Axios column, Drew Altman discusses a balancing act they face which has not received attention: score political points, but run the risk of a new debate scaring the broader public and undermining the ACA by focusing on its continuing problems.