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Even as the Trump administration seeks to kill the Affordable Care Act, it is taking credit for making it more attractive to consumers. The average premium for the benchmark plan will drop by 2% next year in the 36 states using the federal exchange, the third year in a row of declines, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Monday. Premiums have declined a total of 8% since 2018. (Luhby, 10/19)

Health insurance premiums for benchmark Affordable Care Act exchange plans will decrease in 2021 for the third year in a row, and most shoppers will have more plan choices, CMS said Monday. The average premium for the benchmark health insurance plan on HealthCare.gov for a 27-year-old will decline by about 2% to $369 per month compared with plans sold this year. For a family of four, premiums will decrease 2% to $1,486, though most people shopping on the exchanges receive subsidies to help afford the premium costs. (Brady, 10/19)

“Trumpcare” insurance will “finally fix healthcare,” said an advertisement on Facebook. A Google ad urged people to “Enroll in Trumpcare plans. Healthcare changes are coming.” The problem is, there’s no such thing as “Trumpcare.” Facebook and Google have promised to crack down on lies and misinformation about politics in the run-up to next month’s presidential election, but they have run tens of thousands of ads in the past year containing false claims about health insurance reform and plans. (Merrill and Allen, 10/20)

CommonSpirit Health, the parent organization of several Texas-based health care providers including CHI St. Luke's, said it will terminate its contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas in a dispute over pricing. Thousands of patients would be unable to see CommonSpirit Health providers at in-network rates if an agreement to extend the contract is not in place by Dec. 16.  (Wu, 10/19)

As many as 1 million Michiganders may have lost health insurance coverage in the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Monday, announcing a $1 million investment to help them get coverage. “Signing up for insurance can be a confusing process, but this funding will ensure people have access to local help and the resources they need to understand their options and get themselves and their families covered," Whitmer said in a statement.  (Shamus, 10/19)

Losing a job with health insurance in the middle of a public health crisis is a difficult position for anyone to be in. Navigating the confusing world of healthcare in the United States is also a daunting proposition. However, there are a number of available options for those who are scrambling to find coverage for their families. (Gray, 10/18)

The Affordable Care Act has driven a huge boost in revenue for pharmaceutical companies — but ironically, $1.5 million in drug industry donations last election cycle were funneled to Republican state attorneys general who will soon make a case for repealing the law before the Supreme Court. In early 2018, a group of Republican state attorneys general filed a lawsuit seeking to repeal the ACA, which expanded prescription drug coverage for millions of people and in turn, helped drug makers rake in more revenue. (Silverman, 10/20)