This document outlines key topics to cover in reporting on the Affordable Care Act moving forward. It identifies important unknowns from the first open enrollment period and recommends finding stories about real people who gained coverage, how doctors and hospitals are handling new patients, the impact on small businesses, Medicaid expansion challenges, and preparation for the 2015 open enrollment period by insurers, community groups, medical providers, and businesses. Specific story ideas are provided on these topics.
2. ACA
Primer
(Individual)
Most
Americans
have
to
have
coverage
in
2014
14
states
plus
DC
ran
own
exchange/36
used
Healthcare.gov
Penalty
is
$95
or
1%
of
income,
whichever
greater
Medicaid
expansion:
27
states,
plus
DC
3.
4. ACA
Primer
(Employer)
For
big
businesses,
employer
mandate
kicks
in
2015
For
businesses
with
50-‐99
employees,
2016
Small
businesses
under
50
employees
exempt/use
SHOP
Employer
penalty
5. First
Open
Enrollment
8
million
signed
up
85%
get
subsidies
Young
Invincibles
Medicaid:
6.7
million
6. What
we
don’t
know
Who
paid
premiums
Who
was
uninsured
previously
Who
is
newly
eligible
for
Medicaid
??????
??????
??????
7. Finding
stories:
Real
people
Go to clinics
Talk to insurance agents
Chat with employees
Stop by community activists
13. Medicaid
Just
over
half
of
states
have
expanded
6.7
million
new
people
have
been
added
to
rolls
Can
doctors
&
hospitals
handle
the
load?
How
many
were
already
eligible?
24. Stories
to
do
How
are
people
using
benefits
How
is
medical
community
reacXng
How
are
exchanges/acXvists
preparing
for
2015
How
are
insurers/businesses
preparing
for
2015