Cleaning out the In Box: Non-Profit-Based want recognition, Profit-Based muscling in on turf & more...

Some interesting ACA-related news items which aren't really state-specific...

Non-Profits want their status known on exchanges

Research has shown that consumers "do think there is a difference," between for-profit and not-for-profit health plans, says the head of an industry group. But in the final rule on health insurance exchanges, CMS has declined to require that tax-status be disclosed.

Nonprofit health insurance plans continue to dominate customer satisfaction and quality lists, and they want consumers to know about it.

Bruce McPherson, president and CEO of the Alliance for Advancing Nonprofit Health Care, says federal and state health insurance exchanges should do more to make the tax status of health plans readily available to consumers.

And this is kind of important, because at the same time...

Publicly traded insurers take bigger role in Obamacare's second year

Publicly traded insurers largely took a cautious approach to the federal and state health insurance exchanges in their first year of operation. That looked like a wise choice given that HealthCare.gov and many state-based exchanges were plagued by technological problems during the opening weeks of business last year. 

But ultimately 7.3 million individuals signed up for coverage, according to HHS, surpassing expectations. That number is expected to swell to 13 million this year, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

That expanding marketplace is enticing publicly traded insurers to take a more aggressive approach for the next open-enrollment period.

Meanwhile, while the massive Medicaid backlog (which once was at something close to 1.5 million people or so) has been cut down to perhaps 400,000 people or so, they might not be able to catch up on the rest of them before Year Two kicks in:

Medicaid Backlogs Could Worsen as Health-Law Sign-Ups Resume

Hundreds of thousands of people who signed up for Medicaid months ago still don’t have coverage, a problem that could worsen when insurance sign-ups under the Affordable Care Act restart next month.

California and Tennessee are facing lawsuits from residents who say they have seen long delays for coverage after signing up for Medicaid, the federal-state health program for the low income and disabled. Some say they have been waiting since late 2013.

Does anyone remember the vastly underrated movie "Sneakers"?

Government hackers try to crack HealthCare.gov

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government's own watchdogs tried to hack into HealthCare.gov earlier this year and found what they termed a critical vulnerability — but also came away with respect for some of the health insurance site's security features.

Those are among the conclusions of a report released Tuesday by the Health and Human Services Department inspector general, who focuses on health care fraud.

Finally, as I've noted before, the "Narrow Networks!!" talking point appears to be accurate for the most part...but fewer than thought seem to have a problem with it:

More providers, insurers showing appetite for narrow networks

A new health plan collaboration in Wisconsin between a hospital system and an insurer is the latest sign that providers and insurers are betting on narrow networks even as controversy continues over whether these plans offer adequate provider access for consumers.

...Other providers and insurers across the country also partnering to launch narrow-network plans. The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and Medica will be offering a narrow-network plan on and off Minnesota's exchange for 2015; its monthly premiums are mostly in line with other exchange options.