Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Calif., Ga. Insurance Exchanges Marked By Narrow Networks
A new study finds that 75% of California's Obamacare health plans have narrow physician networks -- more limited choices than all but three other states. The latest report examines health plans sold to consumers last year under the Affordable Care Act and shows wide variation in the prevalence of narrow networks across the country. Only Georgia, Florida and Oklahoma had a higher percentage of small provider networks than California did in the insurance company directories analyzed by University of Pennsylvania researchers. (Terhune, 8/25)
Georgia had the highest percentage of narrow insurance networks in the 2014 health exchanges, a new report says. Five of six Georgia Silver exchange plans last year had medical provider networks with a limited choice of doctors, the report said. (Miller, 8/25)
And in Connecticut, efforts to help people understand how to use their new coverage -
Surveys of people who gained insurance under the federal health law indicate that close to 90 percent want more information on how to use their coverage, said Sophie Stern, deputy director of the Best Practices Institute at Enroll America, a group focused on ensuring that people get and stay covered. ... The insurers selling plans through Connecticuts exchange, Access Health CT, are using a variety of techniques to help customers new to insurance and to encourage new members to see a primary care provider. A survey of exchange customers earlier this year indicated that 28 percent did not have a primary care doctor, and 36 percent hadnt yet used their coverage. (Levin Becker, 8/26)
