ACA News of Day

GOP outlines plan for ObamaCare replacement. The new plan would, among other things, offer some subsidies for those who could not afford coverage, delete individual and employer mandates, retain coverage for pre-existing illnesses, end requirement for 10 essential benefits for all health plans, allow shopping for health plans across state lines, offer universal tax credits, and transform Medicaid into a system with block grants for states. Meanwhile, the Obama administration says nearly 10 million are expected to enroll in federal and state exchanges by end of 2nd enrollment period on February 15 (7.5 million in federal exchanges and 2.5 million in state exchanges.) The numbers do not include those who have paid premiums. The Congressional Business Office estimates that, by end of 2015, 13 million will be enrolled in exchanges, 4% of the U.S. population. The HHS chief says an adverse Supreme Court ruling on federal exchanges would be “devastating.”