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Search results for: health insurance

As Obamacare Repeal Falters, Insurers Start to Press on Subsidies

Caroline Humer and Yasmeen Abutaleb  |  

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters)—A failed Republican effort to replace Obamacare raised new concerns on Tuesday for U.S. health insurers over whether the government will continue to fund billions of dollars in medical benefit subsidies. The healthcare bill under consideration in the U.S. Senate would have settled the funding question, but was scrapped after Republican leaders were…

Ethics Forum: Facebook Friend Request from Patient Raises Concern for Rheumatologist

Isabelle Amigues, MD, & Paul Sufka, MD, on behalf of the ACR Committee on Ethics & Conflict of Interest  |  

Social media has revolutionized my practice. I stay current with Twitter content from other rheumatologists, patient organizations and medical journals. I am also an active member of the international Twitter-based rheumatology journal club, #RheumJC. Still, I was recently surprised when my patient’s name appeared in a friend request. This same patient was following me on…

Why We Advocate to Certain Congressional Committees over Others

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The U.S. Congress refers to the bicameral legislature, consisting of the 435 voting and six non-voting members of the House of Representatives and the 100 members of the Senate. When we visit D.C. or express our policy positions to Congress, our message would ideally reach every member. The ultimate goal is to reach all 535…

Senate Republicans Unveil Obamacare Replacement Bill with Tough Debate Expected

Richard Cowan and Susan Cornwell  |  

WASHINGTON (Reuters)—U.S. Senate Republicans on Thursday unveiled their version of legislation that would replace Obamacare, proposing to kill a tax on the wealthy that pays for it and reduce aid to the poor to cut costs. With Democrats deeply opposed to Republican attempts to overhaul former President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law, the route to…

Texas Rheumatologists Push for Passage of Step Therapy Reforms

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On May 25, with Gov. Greg Abbott’s signing of Senate Bill 680, Texas became the fourth state this year to increase protection for patients subject to insurers’ step therapy protocols. The State of Texas Association of Rheumatologists (STAR) joined with 35 other professional societies and patient advocacy organizations in urging passage of S.B. 680. The…

The ACR, ARHP Keep Members, Patients’ Priorities on Congressional Legislative Slate

Sharad Lakhanpal, MBBS, MD, & Afton Hassett, PsyD  |  

We can’t change the direction of the wind, but we can adjust our sails. The origin of this proverb is unclear. Some citations link it to ancient Hindu philosophers, and others suggest the origin may be closer to home (i.e., Jimmy Dean or Dolly Parton). Nonetheless, the sentiment is apt: We are living in an…

Medicaid Cuts Coming in Trump Budget

Reuters Staff  |  

WASHINGTON (Reuters)—U.S. President Donald Trump’s budget proposal, set to be unveiled on Tuesday, will include cuts to Medicaid and propose changes to other assistance programs for low-income citizens, The Washington Post reported on Sunday. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A Republican healthcare bill that passed the U.S. House…

Active Advocacy in the Sunshine State: Florida Society Presses for Legislative Changes to Protect Patient Access to Medications

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At their state capitol in Tallahassee on March 28, seven board members of the Florida Society of Rheumatology (FSR) lobbied to support legislation regarding prior authorization, step therapy and non-medical switching. They also educated lawmakers about rheumatic diseases and how access to the right therapy may dramatically improve patients’ lives. “We talked about the problems encountered…

Aetna Fully Exits Obamacare Exchanges with Pull-Out in 2 States

Deena Beasley  |  

(Reuters)—Health insurer Aetna Inc said on Wednesday it will exit the 2018 Obamacare individual insurance market in Delaware and Nebraska – the two remaining states where it offered the plans. Aetna had already said it would exit the individual commercial market in Virginia and Iowa, after pulling out of several other states last year. Aetna…

Republican Moves on Obamacare Cloud Insurers’ 2018 Plans

Caroline Humer  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters)—U.S. Republicans may be moving ahead with a vote to repeal Obamacare, but the uncertainty about what a national health law may look like is clouding insurers’ decisions on whether to stay in the individual insurance market in 2018. Republicans do plan to vote on the U.S. House of Representatives bill, the American…