Last night's primaries set up a major role for health care in November’s midterms, both in individual races and as a part of Democrats’ search for a nationwide wave.
The bottom line: The results firmed up the emerging national dynamic. Health care motivates Democrats more than Republicans, and Democrats are moving left on the issue. Advocates for single-payer or "Medicare for All" (whatever that ends up meaning) aren’t running the table, but they continue to win important primaries.
It’s a practice that has not received much attention, but some employers have moved to "progressive," or wage-related, health benefits in recent years. That's where their lower wage employees pay a smaller share of insurance premiums, deductibles or health account contributions than higher-wage employees do.
Why it matters: Unlike consumers in the Affordable Care Act marketplaces, lower wage workers in the far larger group market don’t get any help with premiums or cost sharing. With premiums and deductibles rising and wage growth stubbornly flat, progressive benefits are one way for employers to help their low wage employees with their health care costs.
The White House has walked back its plan to cut $252 million in leftover funding from the Obama administration to curb the Ebola virus in Africa, the AP reports.
Why it matters: There has recently been an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The White House said last week the USAID has contributed up to $8 million to combat the Ebola outbreak, including $5 million allocated from the Secretary of State.
Medicare's primary fund is expected to be depleted by 2026, three years earlier than health care officials expected last year, per the 2018 report from Medicare's trustees.
Why it matters: More than 58 million seniors and disabled people rely on Medicare to get health care services. But a dwindling and aging tax base, higher payments to providers and health insurers, and overall high health care prices could result in fewer covered hospital bills for Medicare enrollees in the not-too-distant future.
Two more states have released proposed rates for the next year of Affordable Care Act coverage and, no surprise, they’re all pretty steep.
The details: Insurers in Washington state’s individual market are seeking a 19% increase, on average, the state said yesterday. Specific insurers’ hikes range from less than 1% up to nearly 30%. In New York, the average proposed increase is 24%.
