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While Congress tussles over Obamacare, the Trump administration is quietly pressing ahead with plans to gut major Obama-era rules and relax federal oversight of swaths of the health care industry. Top health officials have already signaled their intention to end mandatory programs making hospitals more accountable for their patients’ health, slowed the transition to a system that pays doctors based on quality rather than quantity, and indicated they will reverse a high-profile rule blocking nursing homes from forcing residents to sign away their right to sue. (Cancryn, 9/13)

Congress failed to pass legislation on health care reform this summer. So what effect is that having on insurers and insurance markets? (Miller and Shockmen, 9/13)

Like many Americans, Stinson Dean has nervously watched this year’s national healthcare debate, but his interest doesn’t stem from a serious health condition. He says the Affordable Care Act made it possible for him to start his business, but now uncertainty about the ACA’s future is affecting his business’s ability to grow.  ...Encouraged by the availability of affordable insurance through the Affordable Care Act, the family took the plunge. Stinson Dean quit his quit and started his company. The move paid off, as new construction here and elsewhere around the country boosted Dean’s business far beyond what he imagined.He’s now ready to expand and bring on 3 or 4 new people, but there’s a problem. (Smith, 9/13)

Anthem and ConnectiCare said on Wednesday they will continue to sell policies on the Access Health CT exchange next year, but charge a lot more for most policies. The Connecticut Insurance Department said it had approved an average 31.7 percent rate increase on the policies Anthem offers individuals next year, both on and off the Access Health CT exchange. (Radelat, 9/13)