Sep 05 Surprise health insurance cancellation notices on their way to some consumers By Michelle Andrews, Kaiser Health News Last year, many consumers who thought their health plans would be canceled because they didn’t meet the standards of the health law got a reprieve. Following stinging criticism for appearing to renege on a promise that people who liked their… Continue reading
Sep 03 First-time health care enrollees often don’t understand how coverage works By Marissa Evans, Kaiser Health News Even after signing up for insurance through the Affordable Care Act, advocates find that explaining to clients that they will still have to pay out of their own pockets each time they go to the doctor or get lab tests… Continue reading
Aug 18 Hospitals reconsider free healthcare for those who could now be insured By Julie Appleby, Kaiser Health News If a patient is eligible to purchase subsidized coverage through the law’s online marketplaces but doesn’t sign up, should hospitals “provide charity care on the same level of generosity as they were previously?” asks Peter Cunningham, a health policy expert… Continue reading
Aug 11 Feds spend billions to kickstart health care innovation By Jay Hancock, Kaiser Health News A federal office you’ve probably never heard of is supposed to fix health care for everybody else. Continue reading
Aug 07 Free health clinics shift gears as their patients qualify for insurance By Phil Galewitz, Kaiser Health News While a few free health clinics have shut their doors in Arkansas and Washington, most expansion-state non-profit free clinics are reassessing their business strategies. Medicaid offers the potential to give their patients better access to specialists, diagnostic testing and hospital… Continue reading
Aug 04 Are health care costs skyrocketing, or not? It depends on who you ask By Jay Hancock, Kaiser Health News Analysts who fear health spending is accelerating got plenty of evidence in Wall Street's second-quarter results to support their thesis. But so did folks who hope spending is still under control. Now everybody's trying to sort out the mixed message. Continue reading
Jul 28 Marketplace shoppers discover new health plans have many limitations By Julie Appleby, Kaiser Health News Nationally, regulators and insurance agents are inundated with complaints, while state lawmakers are considering rules to ensure consumers’ access to doctors. For 2015 plans which will be on sale beginning in November, the federal Department of Health and Human Services… Continue reading
Jul 21 Older, sicker enrollees will likely drive up rates at Florida’s biggest health insurer By Phil Galewitz, Kaiser Health News Several factors could drive up rates next year — including a paucity of younger and healthy enrollees and a greater-than-expected surge in people seeking expensive health services, CEO Patrick Geraghty said in an interview. Continue reading
Jun 19 Survey finds most Americans who purchased health care on exchanges were uninsured By Julie Appleby, Kaiser Health News Nearly six in 10 Americans who bought insurance for this year through the health law’s online marketplaces were previously uninsured—most for at least two years, according to a new survey that looks at the experiences of those most affected by… Continue reading
Jun 16 Many new patients overwhelmed by health care jargon By Anna Gorman, Kaiser Health News Health officials have spent much of the past year promoting the Affordable Care Act and enrolling people in coverage. Now they need to help consumers understand the basics of health insurance and how to use their policies, health care providers… Continue reading