Obama administration claims progress on key healthcare reform provisions

Every state in the nation has taken some kind of action to implement the healthcare reform law since it was passed two years ago, the White House said in a new report released Wednesday.

The report counters claims by reform opponents that the law has been brought to a standstill by recalcitrant Republican-led states, 26 of which are challenging the law’s individual mandate and Medicaid expansion in front of the Supreme Court. 

In fact, the report states, “all States have taken some action to implement health reform.”

• Twenty-eight states are on their way to creating state-run insurance exchanges, which states must put in place by 2014 if they don’t want the federal government to do it. The administration has doled out $730 million to help states plan for and establish exchanges, an administration official said, and expects more than 30 states to end up with state-run exchanges; and

• Forty-four states are participating in the new premium rate review system that requires insurers to justify rate increases of more than 10 percent.

The report goes on to offer a snapshot of what 10 states, led by both Democrats and Republicans, are doing to set up exchanges.

“As we move forward,” White House Deputy Chief of Staff Nancy-Ann DeParle wrote in a blog post, “we’ll continue to build on our strong partnerships with State leaders nationwide and help ensure all Americans can access high quality, affordable health care and have the security they need and deserve.”

The administration declined to explain during a call with reporters why it was requesting anonymity for administration officials describing the public report.