Jun 18, 2018

Minnesota may see ACA premiums drop

Photo: Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images

Insurers in Minnesota's individual market want to reduce their premiums next year by 7–12%, according to the Star Tribune.

Why it's happening: Minnesota is one of just three states — along with Alaska and Oregon — with federally approved reinsurance programs in place, though more are in the works.

Via the Star Tribune: "Jim McManus, a Blue Cross spokesman, said that were it not for the state’s reinsurance program, the carrier’s Blue Plus HMO would be seeking an average individual market premium increase of 4.8 percent as opposed to the 11.8 percent decrease" the state released Friday.

Meanwhile: Proposed rates in Michigan also aren't looking too bad, according to Crain's Detroit Business. The dominant insurer in the state, a Blues plan, is seeking an average 4.2% hike. (Michigan does not have a reinsurance program.)

Oscar has also announced that it plans to enter the markets in part of Michigan next year.

Go deeper

Orion Rummler

32 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Trump says he will campaign against Lisa Murkowski after her support for Mattis

Trump with Barr and Meadows outside St. John's Episcopal church in Washington, D.C. on June 1. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

President Trump tweeted on Thursday that he would endorse "any candidate" with a pulse who runs against Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).

Driving the news: Murkowski said on Thursday that she supported former defense secretary James Mattis' condemnation of Trump over his response to protests in the wake of George Floyd's killing. She described Mattis' statement as "true, honest, necessary and overdue," Politico's Andrew Desiderio reports.

Go deeper (<1 min. read)

Dave Lawler

53 mins ago - World

The president vs. the Pentagon

Trump visits Mattis and the Pentagon in 2018. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty

Over the course of just a few hours, President Trump was rebuffed by the Secretary of Defense over his call for troops in the streets and accused by James Mattis, his former Pentagon chief, of trampling the Constitution for political gain.

Why it matters: Current and former leaders of the U.S. military are drawing a line over Trump's demand for a militarized response to the protests and unrest that have swept the country over the killing of George Floyd by police.

Go deeper (4 min. read)

Sara Fischer, Ursula Perano

1 hour ago - Economy & Business

New York Times says Tom Cotton op-ed did not meet standards

Photo: Avalon/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

A New York Times spokesperson said in a statement Thursday that the paper will be changing its editorial board processes after a Wednesday op-ed by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), which called for President Trump to "send in the troops" in order to quell violent protests, failed to meet its standards.

Why it matters: The shift comes after Times employees began a coordinated movement on social media on Wednesday and Thursday that argued that publishing the op-ed put black staff in danger. Cotton wrote that Trump should invoke the Insurrection Act in order to deploy the U.S. military against rioters that have overwhelmed police forces in cities across the country.

Go deeper (2 min. read)