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Washington State Marketplace Opened to Residents Regardless of Immigration Status
Washington State is the first state in the country to open its Affordable Care Act Marketplace to
undocumented residents following approval and implementation of a 1332 Medicaid waiver,
reports KUOW. Federal rules have excluded undocumented immigrants from purchasing
coverage on the Marketplace and while other states have created alternative avenues for
undocumented adults to purchase coverage, Washington State’s Marketplace will now make
plans and subsidies available to this population. Still, premiums are often too expensive for
many, even with subsidies, presenting ongoing affordability challenges.
New California Law Caps Ambulance Bills
Ground ambulance operators will not be able to balance bill residents beginning in 2024, reports
KFF Health News. Nearly three-quarters of emergency ground ambulance rides result in a
balance bill—a 2022 report found the average cost of a ground ambulance ride in California was
$1,209. The new law is estimated to impact over 14 million California residents and will limit the
amount an out-of-network ground ambulance operator can charge patients to the amount they
would pay for the same in-network ambulatory service.
Minnesota Passes Law Which Aims to Decrease the Number of Medical Bills Sent to Collections
By Carolina Cummings | CBS News Minnesota | Nov. 2, 2023
All Minnesota hospitals must now screen patients to determine if they are eligible for financial
assistance before referring medical debt for collections, reports CBS News Minnesota. The new
law took effect on November 1, 2023, and prohibits hospitals from sending any outstanding debt
to collections, making changes to payment plans, or offering patients a loan to pay the debt until
they check eligibility and help those patients apply.
Arkansas Leads Country in Food Insecurity
Arkansas has the high rate of food insecurity, with 16.6 percent of residents experiencing food
insecurity between 2020 to 2022, reports KARK. The Arkansas rate marked the biggest jump in
food insecurity for all states against the previous measure, a 2.8 percent increase from the rate
during the period from 2017 to 2019.
City Leaders Announce $335 Million in Medical Debt Relief
Columbus city leaders announced $335 million in medical debt forgiveness for residents, reports
The Columbus Dispatch. The City Council partnered with the Central Ohio Hospital Council to
provide debt relief for Columbus residents who were treated at any and all of the four area
hospital systems that make up the council from 2015 through 2020. Patients earning between
200 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for relief. The council estimates
340,660 Columbus residents will receive debt forgiveness, with an average of $984 in debt
relieved per patient.
Texans Concerned About Health Care Consolidation and Increasing Prices
A survey has found that Texas respondents are concerned about consolidation in the health
care industry, reports D Magazine. The survey from Texas 2036 found that 30 percent of
respondents were concerned about health care prices and 87 percent are concerned about
health care consolidation. In addition, more than half supported greater antitrust enforcement by
the government to address consolidation, and more than half wanted prohibitions on hospitals
and insurance companies from owning physician groups and pharmacies.
Older Wyoming Residents Express Concern About Affordable Health Care
A recent AARP survey in Wyoming found that affordable health care close to home was
a top priority for respondents, reports Wyoming News Now. Eighty-nine percent of those
surveyed reported that it is extremely or very important to be able to afford health care
expenses, including premiums and copays. Additionally, 88 percent of respondents felt
it was extremely or very important to afford adequate health insurance coverage.
New Mexico Requires Certain Commercial Insurers to Expand Behavioral Health Care Access
New Mexico’s superintendent of insurance issued an order requiring state-regulated commercial
health insurers to expand access to behavioral health services, reports Rio Rancho Observer.
Insurers are now required to cover out-of-network behavioral health services at in-network rates,
including services from primary care physicians, specialist visits, and inpatient hospital stays.
Connecticut Launches State Prescription Drug Card
Connecticut residents, regardless of immigration status, now have access to a state-run
prescription drug discount card, reports NHPR. Beginning October 2, 2023, residents can sign
up for a free ArrayRx discount card that can be used at about 98 percent of pharmacies in the
state. All FDA-approved drugs are eligible for a discount, and it is estimated that the discount
card will decrease the costs of generic medications by upwards of 80 percent.
Health Policy Commission Finds Health Care Costs Burdens on Residents
The Health Policy Commission (HPC) published annual health care cost trends reports,
showcasing a wide range of data points that reveal significant strain on patients and employers,
reports WWLP 22 News. The report found health care costs growing faster than wages and that
the pace of spending growth is faster in Massachusetts than the national average. The HPC
recommended greater regulatory scrutiny of pharmaceutical companies, producing affordability
and equity targets, and strengthening its enforcement mechanisms.
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