Looking Back at 2023, Ahead to 2024 & Beyond
As we head into a New Year, I find myself thinking not just about what happened in 2023, but what is on the horizon for 2024… and even 2025.?
The Fight for Coverage and Access. In 2023, the Federation focused on increasing coverage and protecting access to care for patients. Thanks to enhanced subsidies, a record 19 million people are expected to obtain coverage in 2024 through ACA Marketplaces – an all-time record. With additional funding for subsidies set to expire in 2025, you can bet we will be there once again fighting to make sure Americans continue to have access to affordable health coverage.??
While so many in Washington and across the country worked hard to ensure our most vulnerable populations were protected, it has been disheartening to see so many lose their coverage through the Medicaid redeterminations process. Medicaid coverage is a lifeline for millions of Americans and progress made on covering the most vulnerable is critical to sustain.??
Lastly, in the fight to protect seniors’ access to care, Medicare Advantage plans continued to abuse prior authorization and other practices to delay or deny necessary care for millions of Americans. This second-guessing of physicians leaves seniors vulnerable and must be reined in. I feel strongly that hospitals, working collaboratively with other key stakeholders, CMS, and lawmakers, will make progress in combating these problems in the upcoming year.?
2024 is 2024… and 2025. Congress has a lot on its plate for next year, but in an election cycle, there’s only so much we can expect Congress to tackle. Legislating will give way to campaigning, and voters will decide who gets to realize their vision in 2025. That’s why the political winds of 2024 are going to be determinative of policymaking in 2025, and also why we can be confident that health care discussions in 2024 will set the health care agenda for 2025.?
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The winner is…?I’ve been around for a while. I was born the year Dwight D. Eisenhower was first elected and this will be my 11th presidential election while working in DC. So, who will get to execute their vision in 2025? All that experience tells me it is far too early to tell. One thing I do know from recent polling is that where lawmakers stand on protecting Americans’ access to medical care is very important to voters. Voters are concerned about the effect that Medicare cuts will have on their access to and quality of care, particularly for the underserved and those living in rural areas. In a time of significant division in our nation, one thing that remains clear is that Americans understand the vital role hospitals play in their communities and the critical need to preserve the ready availability of lifesaving care.?
As we head together into 2024 – and think about 2025 – I extend my warm holiday wishes to you and yours.?
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Strengthening the healthcare safety net
1 年Thanks for your federal insights, Chip! As someone who works with clinics that serve predominantly the uninsured, I can tell you that although SOME of those unwinding from Medicaid are getting coverage elsewhere, our clinics are seeing a 10-25% increase in the uninsured they are seeing. This is in a state where Medicaid has been expanded, there are all kinds of coverage options, but they are still not affordable given today's economy for those in the lowest third of income. While thinking about premiums at the federal level where a LOT has improved, don't forget the devastating effects on access to care of deductibles. Even a $600 deductible is too much for many families. https://www.federalreserve.gov/consumerscommunities/shed.htm