Federal Update
House to Vote on 40-Hour Work Week Bill
Speaker John Boehner announced this week that the House of Representatives will soon vote on the Save the American Workers (SAW) Act, H.R. 2575, which would alter the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) definition of "full-time employee." The law currently requires companies with more than 50 full-time employees to offer health plans and defines full-time as those working 30 or more hours a week.
Supporters of the bill argue that the law’s 30-hour definition places an unfair burden on employers and is causing some to reduce workers’ hours below the 30-hour threshold to avoid fines for failing to provide insurance. In a score released this week, the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation estimated that the legislation would increase the number of uninsured, cause 1 million fewer people to receive employer-sponsored coverage, and send between 500,000 and 1 million more people to state Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or health insurance marketplaces.
Policy Update
Marketplace Enrollment Hits 4 Million
With just over a month left until the March 31 deadline for obtaining health coverage in the new health insurance marketplaces, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announcedthis week that enrollment had reached 4 million people as of February 24. The new figures suggest enrollment has grown steadily since the troubled rollout last fall, with roughly 700,000 people selecting an insurance plan so far this month. The administration and groups supporting the law are stepping up efforts to promote the ACA and reach the revised enrollment target of 6 million. Meanwhile, the media and other observers are urging the administration to release precise figures for how many people who enrolled in a plan have paid their first premium, which is required for coverage to kick in. Expectations are that the number of people who take the step of paying that premium will be fewer than the number of people who have completed the enrollment process.
State Update
Connecticut Offers Marketplace Skills to Other States
A number of states, including California, Connecticut, Kentucky and New York, have excelled at recruiting health insurance enrollees through their online marketplaces. Connecticut has been so successful, in fact, that it plans to market its health exchange expertise to states facing challenges with their own marketplace web sites. Connecticut is referring to its package of basic services as “exchange in a box” and will offer states the option to buy additional services.
Media Update
Uninsured Adolescents and Young Adults More Likely to be Diagnosed with Late-stage Cancer
A Society study appearing in the March issue of the scientific journal CANCER shows that uninsured adolescents and young adults are more likely than those with private insurance to be diagnosed with cancer at advanced stages. The study found that uninsured males aged 15 to 39 were 1.5 times as likely as those with private insurance to be diagnosed with cancer that has metastasized to distant parts of the body. Uninsured females in that age group were nearly twice as likely as those with private insurance to be diagnosed with metastatic cancer. The Society posted a summary of the study on cancer.org, and ACS CAN sent a press release to policy reporters this week.
The findings suggest that policies such as the Affordable Care Act that increase the number of people in America with health coverage will result in fewer late-stage cancer diagnoses and save lives. As National Journal and other media outlets reported, the findings are consistent with prior Society research showing that uninsured adults also have a higher likelihood of advanced cancer diagnosis and a lower likelihood of surviving the disease.
New Website Promotes Financial Assistance in Marketplaces
A recent study conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation reveals that nearly 60 percent of the uninsured are unaware that financial help is available to pay for health insurance in the new marketplaces. The study found that when made aware of available financial help, more than 8 in 10 respondents said they would be likely to enroll.
The RWJ Foundation has launched FinancialHelpforHealth.org – a new website that raises awareness of financial help available and sends consumers to their state’s online marketplace where they can enroll. The site features snapshots and testimonial videos of real people who have received financial assistance. It also includes a tool that explains the tax credit and how to use it. FinancialHelpforHealth.org also includes web buttons that can be downloaded and posted to sites as well as share graphics to use on social media channels. Please feel free to circulate this important information to Society and ACS CAN staff, volunteers, and partners.
As always, thank you for all you do every day to support laws and policies that help cancer patients and their families.
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Chris Hansen | President, ACS CAN |
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American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc. |