Emily Makings

Through February, only 23.3 percent of private plan exchange enrollments aged 18-34

As Megan McArdle wrote earlier this week about national health insurance enrollments, Demographics matter a lot because they will help determine whether the health insurance market goes into a death spiral (or requires hefty federal subsidies to keep it from doing so). Young healthy people, and a lot of them, are needed to keep the […]

New Brief: The 2014 Supplemental Budget Increases Education Spending, Holds Line on New Taxes, and Fails to Extend R&D Credits

In a new policy brief, we write about the 2014 supplemental operating budget that was passed by the Legislature. The gist: It makes mostly minor changes to the 2013–15 operating budget while increasing spending for public schools—a prelude to next session’s likely focus on meeting the state’s McCleary obligations.

Exchange enrollment watch continues

Through March 13, 112,225 people have purchased qualified (private) health plans (QHP) through Washington’s health benefit exchange. Medicaid enrollees who are newly eligible under the Affordable Care Act expansion of the program total 235,079, and Medicaid enrollees who were previously eligible but had not enrolled total 122,302. As I noted last week, there should be […]

At almost the last moment, a 2014 supplemental operating budget agreement

The House and the Senate came to an agreement on a 2014 supplemental operating budget today, the last day of the legislative session. It would increase 2013-15 appropriations by $149.9 million. It does not include the most controversial items that had been passed by either the House or the Senate: There are no teacher cost-of-living […]

Washington exchange's first March enrollment numbers and exemptions from the mandate

The first March enrollment numbers have been released by the Washington Health Benefit Exchange.Through March 6, enrollments in qualified (private) health plans (QHP) total 109,021. Enrollments in Medicaid by those who are newly eligible under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) total 222,607. Medicaid enrollments by those who were previously eligible but had not previously enrolled […]

New Brief: House- and Senate-Passed 2014 Supplementals are Mostly Similar, but Present Distinct Options

The House and Senate have both passed versions of a 2014 supplemental operating budget. We look at what the budgets include and how they differ in a new policy brief.

Newly eligible Medicaid enrollees continue to outpace private plan enrollees on exchange

According to this week’s enrollment report from the Washington Health Benefit Exchange, 106,281 have signed up for a qualified (private) health plan (QHP) since Oct. 1. Enrollees in Medicaid who are newly eligible under the expansion of the program total 212,633 (they are funded under the enhanced federal match). Medicaid enrollees who were previously eligible […]

The political risk of defined benefit pensions

The Economist writes about the “plan of adjustment” filed by Detroit as part of its bankruptcy proceedings: In order to shed much of its $18 billion debt, Detroit proposes giving unsecured bondholders, including holders of general-obligation debt, 20 cents on each dollar. Pensions will be cut, too. General pensioners will receive only 66% of their […]

New Brief: House Appropriations Chair's Proposed 2014 Supplemental Largely Tracks Senate Proposal

As Dick noted earlier, yesterday the House released a 2014 supplemental operating budget. We describe the proposal in a new policy brief. (Our brief on the Senate proposal is here.)

Private plan enrollment in Washington exchange passes 100,000, but still short of goal

Yesterday the Washington Health Benefit Exchange released enrollment numbers through Feb. 20. Qualified (private) health plan (QHP) enrollments now total 101,857 since Oct. 1. Enrollees who are newly eligible for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act expansion now total 202,168 and those who were previously eligible for Medicaid under the old rules but had not […]