Alan: It is seldom mentioned that, for the first time in decades, the per capita cost curve of American healthcare is declining under Obama.
"Health Care Spending Increases Hit New Low"
USA Today
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Obamacare had lots of sign-ups on deadline day. "California estimates that 27,000 people picked insurance plans this past Monday and 29,000 the Friday prior. Just last week, the state was averaging 15,000 sign-ups per day. Washington state had 10,000 people enroll Monday, and a total of 20,000 from Dec. 20-23. That accounts for one in 10 Washingtonians picking private health insurance plans. And New York had about 20,000 sign-ups come in that same day." Sarah Kliff in The Washington Post.
Obamacare hits snag in states as it finds footing at federal level. "From Maryland to Hawaii, Obamacare's state-run enrollment operations are running into technical difficulties, creating new headaches for the White House even as the federal insurance website finds its footing. While the U.S. site has seen volumes surge this month, online exchanges run by those two states, along with systems in Massachusetts, Oregon, Minnesota and Vermont, have struggled with technology delays and low sign-up levels." Alex Nussbaum and Alex Wayne in Bloomberg.
Obamacare's nervous New Year's. "The arrival of Jan. 1 will be a big event for President Barack Obama's health care law -- the day when Americans across the country can use their new health insurance for the first time. It could be a day of badly needed success stories, if people have a smooth time and sing the praises of their new private health insurance or Medicaid coverage. But it could also be a day of hiccups, and if there's any reality to some of the new problems health care analysts have been warning about -- like people who thought they were covered but find out they're not, or can't sign up in time to replace their canceled coverage -- that's when we could start hearing about them." David Nather in Politico.
Health law cemented, Republicans adjust. "Republicans are considering several ideas for how to proceed. Mr. Johnson argued that Congress should do away with the mandate that most people obtain insurance, but not the online exchanges at the heart of the law. Instead, he said, the options in the marketplaces should be augmented by other choices that fall short of the law's coverage standards, such as catastrophic health plans...Senator Kelly Ayotte, Republican of New Hampshire, said she was teaming up with Democrats on a host of incremental changes to the law, such as expanding health savings accounts and repealing a tax on medical devices." Jonathan Weisman in The New York Times.
Longread: The problem of hospital monopoly. Phillip Longman and Paul S. Hewitt in Washington Monthly.