Hemophilia Federation of America is a national nonprofit organization that assists, educates and advocates for the bleeding disorders community.
On December 18, 2019, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued its long-awaited ruling in Texas v. United States, a case challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. The 5th Circuit ruling upholds (in part) an earlier lower court decision that declared the ACA to be unconstitutional, due to Congress鈥 2017 enactment of […]
Dear Addy, I keep seeing reminders about open enrollment beginning November 1, 2019. As a person with a bleeding disorder, what should I look for in an insurance plan? Signed, Investigating Insurance Dear Investigator, The聽Open Enrollment Period聽is a time frame each year when health insurance plans or聽HMOs (health maintenance organizations)聽are required by law to accept […]
The Trump Administration issued a final rule on June 19, 2018 expanding association health plans. The rule鈥檚 stated aim is to 鈥渉elp Americans struggling to afford health coverage find new, more affordable options.鈥 You can read more about the rule聽here. HFA and many other patient advocacy groups think the final rule takes the wrong tack.聽Association […]
On June 12,2018, we hosted our 5th Annual Patient Fly-In in Washington, DC聽alongside an online聽Virtual Hill Day. . With that in mind, patient representatives asked Senators and Representatives to protect affordable coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, ensure that insurance plans provide meaningful coverage and an appropriate scope of health benefits; protect people against potentially […]
For the past few days, our organizations have been encouraging you to call, tweet and email your Senators to vote No on the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). 聽On June 27th, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell delayed the Senate vote on the bill but the vote could occur quickly if Leader McConnell is able […]
Dear Addy, I want to switch to a new hemophilia therapy and, though my doctor has prescribed the product, my insurer won’t authorize coverage. How can I get this covered? Signed, Concerned Consumer Dear Consumer, When new therapies come on the market, there is often a lag before health plans add those products to their […]
On Thursday, June 22, 2017, the Senate leadership released a 鈥渄iscussion draft鈥 of its version of legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Despite promises from numerous lawmakers, the Senate bill in fact builds off the much criticized, House-passed American Health Care Act (AHCA). The Senate discussion draft would, among other things: Undermine聽protections for […]
On June 22, 2016, we hosted our 3rd Annual Patient Fly-In in Washington, DC聽alongside an online聽Virtual Hill Day聽to gain support for bill聽HR 1600, The Patients鈥 Access to Treatment Act聽and for HR 3742, The Access to Marketplace Insurance Act, other issues like聽the ability for third-party non-profits to help make payments on behalf of patients, and improving […]
Dear Addy, So I saw the question you recently answered about what counts towards a deductible.聽You didn鈥檛 talk about what counts towards out-of-pocket costs. Does every penny I spend on healthcare count towards my out-of-pocket costs limit? Signed, 聽Pocket Picky 聽Dear Picky, No, not every penny you spend on healthcare will count towards your annual […]
Largest health insurer to keep key parts of law regardless of court ruling from the Washington Post:聽http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/largest-health-insurer-to-keep-key-parts-of-law-regardless-of-court-ruling/2012/06/10/gJQA7VYfTV_story.html?tid=pm_pop By N.C. Aizenman,聽Monday, June聽11,聽12:11聽AM The nation’s largest health insurer will keep in place several key consumer provisions mandated by the聽2010 health-care law聽regardless of whether the statute survives Supreme Court review. Officials at UnitedHealthcare will announce Monday that whatever […]
By Rebecca Adams, CQ HealthBeat Associate Editor A federal judge has denied the request of a group of community pharmacists to immediately stop the acquisition of Medco Health Solutions by Express Scripts, Inc. The judge will next decide whether to throw out the lawsuit. The pharmaceutical benefits management companies Express Scripts and Medco merged on […]
By Jane Norman, CQ HealthBeat Associate Editor The Department of Health and Human Services wants input on how to design a study that would detail under what circumstances men who have a history of sex with other men should be allowed to donate blood. Under current Food and Drug Administration policy, men who have had […]
On Monday, Dec. 16, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a bulletin outlining guidance to states on implementing Essential Health Benefits (EHBs). 聽As you may recall, the Affordable Care Act will require individuals to have insurance coverage by 2014.聽 Individuals and business may purchase health insurance in a state based “health […]
By Anna Edney Courtesy of Bloomberg News Oct. 26 (Bloomberg) — Two Chinese companies implicated in supplying contaminated ingredients three years ago to Baxter International Inc. for its blood thinner heparin are still supplying product to the U.S., Republican lawmakers said. Baxter recalled the blood thinner in 2008 amid reports of deaths and allergic reactions. […]
The聽Institute聽of Medicine (IOM) released its report of recommendations to the United States Department of Health and Human Services regarding what health benefits should 聽be provided by insurance plans under the Health reform law – the Affordable Care Act (ACA). 聽 The ACA requires states to set up an health insurance market place or exchange by […]
In early August the President signed into law the Budget Control Act of 2011, which is reported to save approximately $917 billion over the next ten years and will raise the debt ceiling by $900 billion, therefore carrying the government through the end of 2011. The bill also establishes a new joint Congressional committee that […]
CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS – HEALTH Sept. 2, 2011 – 8:17 p.m. By Emily Ethridge, CQ Staff The pharmaceutical industry continues to push lawmakers to act quickly on approving a deal that would fund the Food and Drug Administration’s drug review process. But, although lawmakers from both parties have pledged to mark up the legislation […]
By Geraldine A. Collier Courtesy of Worchester Telegram & Gazette Doctors are taught in medical training to “look first for the horses, not the zebras.”聽 In other words, look first for the typical causes of symptoms before exploring more exotic possibilities.聽But, former Worcester School Superintendent John Durkin wouldn’t be alive today if his doctors at […]
By instilling confidence in U.S. products and technologies, we stimulate economic growth and open markets overseas. By聽MARGARET A. HAMBURG Courtesy of the Wall Street Journal There are encouraging signs that the pharmaceutical industry’s pipeline of new products is not as stalled as some say.聽 Already in 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved […]
By John Reichard, CQ HealthBeat Editor The health care law will disappoint many Americans if its health insurance exchanges don’t deliver decent coverage at affordable rates for consumers, including those with serious illnesses like cancer. Meeting those expectations may be difficult, judging from comments by a major patient advocacy group as it waits for the […]
CQ HEALTHBEAT NEWS By John Reichard, CQ HealthBeat Editor The Obama administration plans to release its proposed regulation on state health insurance exchanges July 7. The rules governing the establishment of the exchanges, which under the health care overhaul law begin operating in 2014, are much anticipated by state lawmakers, insurers, employers and consumers. […]
New England Journal of Medicine Auditing Access to Specialty Care for Children with Public聽Insurance June 15, 2011 Joanna Bisgaier, M.S.W., and Karin V. Rhodes, M.D. Evidence suggests that the 37 million children covered by Medicaid-CHIP聽are less likely to receive specialty care than children covered by commercial insurance. Children covered by Medicaid-CHIP may face greater […]
CQ HEALTHBEAT NEWS June 9, 2011 – 2:43 p.m. By Jane Norman, CQ HealthBeat Associate Editor Health insurance exchanges aren’t stalled everywhere. Oregon’s legislature this week passed bipartisan exchange legislation and the governor is expected to sign it. “I look forward to signing this key piece of our health care improvement agenda,” Gov.聽John Kitzhaber, […]
CQ HEALTHBEAT NEWS May 18, 2011 By Jane Norman, CQ HealthBeat Associate Editor As state legislatures near the end of their sessions, many lawmakers are still struggling with whether to approve measures to set up health-benefits exchanges created under the health care law 鈥 and it appears almost certain work in many states will extend […]
Jennifer C. Jaff, Esq, Executive Director of Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness, Inc. Reprinted with Permission. We get a lot of questions about Social Security disability.聽 The most common question we get is whether there’s any way to speed up the process.聽 The truth is that, if you’re denied at the initial […]
CQ HealthBeat Senator Blunt (R-MO) specifically asked 聽Commissioner Hamburg about the speed of drug approvals and the idea of imposing user fees for the first time on generic drug companies. The administration proposed adding $40 million in user fees for generic companies in its fiscal 2012 budget. After the hearing, a reporter asked Hamburg for […]
CQ HealthBeat A top Health and Human Services official pledged at a House hearing, Thursday that a long-term-care program included in the health overhaul law won’t be launched unless it is financially sustainable. Kathy Greenlee, assistant secretary for aging at HHS, testified on behalf of the agency. Greenlee also defended the $120 million requested by […]
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) is undertaking a study that will make recommendations on the criteria and methods for determining and updating the essential health benefits package in health care reform. As you may recall, HFA submitted comments to the initial survey conducted in December. The outcome of this study will be a published report […]
Health care reform will have a profound impact on persons with bleeding disorders as health insurance companies take steps to comply with various insurance market reform provisions. However, changes stemming from the health care reform law are only one piece of the health care coverage puzzle. 聽In light of these challenges, the Hemophilia Federation of […]
The Affordable Care Act requires that 80-to-85% of the money collected by insurance companies be spent on health care services and health care quality improvement.聽 Otherwise known as the Medical Loss Ratio, the intent of the provision is to ensure that more of the money enrollees pay each month for insurance premiums will go toward […]
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