Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
On Scale Of 1 To 10, Obama Gives His Health Law An 8
[Richard] Besser asked the president to rate the success of the Affordable Care Act on a scale from 1 to 10. Obama gave the law an 8. (Neporent, 4/8)
President Barack Obama is giving his health care law an eight out of a 10, and calls a lawsuit hanging over it "the last gasp" from opponents. Obama tells ABC News he doesn't give it a 10 is because things can always be improved. He says the biggest challenge is getting more states to expand Medicaid coverage. He says "stubbornness" among state leaders who aren't using the benefit is "based on ideology, not on wise public health policy." (4/8)
California officials said about 18,000 people have taken advantage of an extended Obamacare enrollment period that was created as a final opportunity to escape the health law's tax penalties. The special enrollment window runs until April 30 for people who claim they were unaware of the Affordable Care Act's financial penalties for being uninsured. (Tehune, 4/7)
The old saying goes, "Nothing is certain except death and taxes." But the Affordable Care Act has added a new wrinkle. For many policyholders, the ACA has introduced a good deal of uncertainty about their tax bills. That has led to surprise refunds for some and higher-than-expected tax payments for others. If you're insured by Obamacare, filling out your 2014 federal income tax return will require you to figure out whether the premium subsidies you received were appropriate for your level of income. (Ydstie, 4/7)
Obamacares first tax season includes all the elements needed to ignite a political firestorm. Yet with only a week to go until the filing deadline, nothing's burning. (Villacorta and Mershon, 4/8)
