Public, Private Employers Develop Plans, Strategies For Looming Cadillac Tax
In other news, a government report finds that fewer Americans are going without health care because of cost concerns and the number of people in Colorado who have health insurance reaches a historic high.
The Wall Street Journal's CFO Journal:
Public Or Private, Health Benefits Face Strategic Pruning
Finance chiefs at companies ranging from Cisco Systems Inc. to Westmoreland Coal Co. are scrutinizing employee health benefits as they face the Affordable Care Act’s looming “Cadillac tax” on generous health plans. They aren’t the only ones. Across the country, cities and states are also scrambling to figure out how many millions the tax will cost them. (Murphy and Chasan, 8/31)
The Huffington Post:
Fewer Americans Go Without Medical Care Due To Cost, Survey Says
More than 15 years have passed since this small a share of Americans didn't get medical care they needed because of the cost, a new federal government report reveals. During the first three months of 2015, 4.4 percent of Americans surveyed said they went without health care at some point in the past 12 months because they couldn't afford it, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research released on Tuesday. (Young, 9/1)
Colorado Public Radio:
Colorado Uninsured Rate Drops To Record Low
The number of Coloradans who have health insurance has reached a historic high, according to a new survey from the non-profit, non-partisan Colorado Health Institute. ... There were predictions that a sharp uptick in coverage would overburden the system, making it harder for people to get health care. So far that hasn't happened. The survey found only a slight increase in the percentage of people who couldn't get an appointment when they needed. Also, the report documents glaring disparities. Hispanics are uninsured at higher levels than other groups, while higher uninsured rates continue to affect residents of the Western Slope. (Daley, 9/1)
Kaiser Health News/Health News Colorado:
Medicaid Drives Historic Coverage Gains In Colorado
Colorado’s uninsured rate has plummeted from a recent high of 15.8 percent four years ago to 6.7 percent this year, but the success of the Affordable Care Act in Colorado is almost entirely the result of Medicaid expansion, according to a much anticipated survey from the Colorado Health Institute. The survey found that nearly one in three of the state’s 5.3 million residents now get insurance through Medicaid or other public health insurance programs. (Kerwin McCrimmon, 9/1)