Communities rely on essential hospitals for trauma and other lifesaving care, physician training, emergency response, and other vital services. Essential hospitals, in turn, rely on policymakers for support to keep these services available to all. Learn more about this careful balance.

Proposed Medicaid managed care regulations effectively would end supplemental payments that have been in effect for at least a generation to many essential hospitals.

Fourth cycle of grants through the Connecting Kids to Coverage program supports work to link eligible children with Medicaid, CHIP coverage; proposals due Jan. 20, 2016.

CBO also found that if a full ACA repeal took effect on Jan. 1, 2016, the federal deficit would increase by $137 billion between 2016 and 2025.

Association filed Jan. 28 amicus brief in Supreme Court case supporting insurance subsidies through federally facilitated health insurance marketplace.

Agency reverts to position recommended by America's Essential Hospitals to define uninsured status at the service level for purposes of calculating DSH payments; sets Dec. 31 as start of new policy

CMS returns to a pre-2008 definition of uninsured that includes whether a patient is covered for a particular service, among other changes.

The survey aims to capture the impact of ACA coverage expansion and add to association advocacy efforts with timely information on members' uncompensated care.

CBO estimated 2016 marketplace premiums will be 15 percent less than they were estimated to be in 2009. This should mean the ACA will cost $104 billion less to the federal government over the next decade than previously projected.

CMS has developed several resources to help hospitals implement presumptive eligibility, including model agreements between the state and hospitals, a model training template for states, a model application for hospitals, and FAQs.

The final rule establishes procedures for enrollment and certification. CMS also released its final methodology for determining federal payments to states establishing a BHP program in 2015.

Nearly 3.3 million people have selected plans through the marketplaces since they opened Oct. 1, 2013. This number represents 45 percent of the 7.3 million people who were eligible to enroll in a marketplace plan. In addition, 3.2 million people who submitted applications through the marketplaces were determined to be eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

A Jan.23 Gallup survey found that the percentage of uninsured adults nationally dropped 1.2 percentage points in January, from 17.3 percent in December to 16.1 percent in January. Gallup said the percentage of uninsured adults for January is “slightly lower than what Gallup has measured in any month since December 2012.”

Guides can help providers troubleshoot enrollment problems

HHS encouraged issuers to reject premium payments from third parties

Providers that fill a safety net role will be stretched thin in states that do not expand Medicaid

Estimates 5.2 million uninsured fall into coverage gap

Essential hospitals to play important role with experience caring for the uninsured

Proposed rule establishes framework for several program elements

Association summary of rules, guidance