Round-up of post-election coverage on Obamacare

There have been lots of great stories in the last day or so about what President Obama’s reelection means for health care reform under the Affordable Care Act – otherwise known as Obamacare. A few of my favorites are linked below.

But what’s interesting in Rhode Island is that health care reform has been underway here for several years now, and the state has already made key decisions to comply with the ACA. Many of its other reform initiatives would probably have continued with or without federal support.  Those include things like the CSI project, an initiative out of the health insurance commissioner’s office that promotes primary care and more patient-centered care. Health reform is, in fact, near and dear to the hearts of several of our state’s top leaders. Obama’s reelection will likely mean these efforts not only move forward but move faster.  One of them: the online insurance marketplace, or exchange, which Rhode Island is calling the Health Benefits Exchange. Work on designing the exchange is well underway and a major milestone – a proposal to be submitted for federal approval – is expected soon. Not a moment too soon, either. The exchanges have to be up and running in less than a year.

• Fate of Health Law Now Clear, States Rush to Meet Deadlines (NY Times, 11/8/12)
• Obamacare is here to stay, but in what form? (NPR, 11/8/12)
• The Outlook for “Obamacare” in Two Maps (ProPublica, 11/8/12) (Note: The maps show which states are moving forward with online insurance exchanges and which are expanding Medicaid as required under ACA or not, risking the loss of federal matching dollars. Rhode Island is doing both.)
• What does the US presidential election mean for the future of healthcare in America? (Pricewaterhouse Coopers, 11/7/12) (Note: It’s not journalism, but rather a report from PWC health industry analysts. Gives a good timeline of ACA events as well as a breakdown of when certain stakeholder groups are affected and how.)