Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Tuesday presented a legislation package designed to stabilize the Affordable Care Act marketplace.

The package will “strengthen protections for pre-existing conditions, reverse the GOP’s healthcare sabotage, and lower Americans’ health costs,” according to Pelosi.

Some of the legislation’s proposals include:

  • Rolling back the Trump administration’s expansion of short-term health plans
  • Tightening state innovation waiver guidelines
  • Expanding tax subsidy eligibility rules
  • Re-establishing a federal reinsurance program
  • Restoring outreach and funding for the Annual Enrollment Period

House Democrats expect to begin putting sections of the package up for votes individually beginning in May.

Centene’s Purchase of WellCare to Create Large Share of ACA Enrollees

Health insurer Centene announced today that it will buy WellCare Health Plans, which also provides government and ACA health insurance, for $17.3 billion.

If approved, the merger will cover almost 9 million people with ACA plans and 13 million Medicare Advantage and Medicaid enrollees.