May 19 Many kids in health care marketplaces are missing out on dental coverage By Marissa Evans, Kaiser Health News New data suggest the health care law is failing to fully deliver on its promise: A lot of parents didn’t buy dental coverage during the recent online enrollment period. That spells trouble, according to health experts. Continue reading
May 19 Can health insurers raise rates on e-cigarette users? By Michelle Andrews, Kaiser Health News Under the health law, insurers who sell plans on the individual market can take into account only four factors when determining someone’s premium: age, geographic location, family size and tobacco use. People who use tobacco can be charged up… Continue reading
May 16 Hundreds of millions spent to attack new health care law, little to defend By Carla K. Johnson, Associated Press The report, released Friday by nonpartisan analysts Kantar Media CMAG, estimates that $445 million was spent on political TV ads mentioning the law since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. Spending on negative ads outpaced positive ones… Continue reading
May 12 Fears of doctor shortages under new health law may have been overblown By Phil Galewitz, Kaiser Health News The headlines were ominous: Good luck finding a doctor under Obamacare. Not enough doctors for newly insured. Obamacare, doctor shortage could crash health system. Despite these dire predictions, the nation’s primary care system is handling the increased number of insured… Continue reading
May 08 HHS nominee questioned, praised by GOP Senators By Erica Werner, Associated Press President Barack Obama's nominee for health secretary faced pointed questioning Thursday from Republican senators over the president's health law but also won GOP praise in her first appearance before a Senate committee. Continue reading
May 08 Report: Federal exchange a bargain compared to states’ By Julie Rovner, KFF Health News As rocky as its rollout was, it cost the federal exchange an average of $647 of federal tax dollars to sign up each enrollee, according to a new report. It cost an average of $1,503 to sign up each person… Continue reading
May 05 Many insured U.S. Latinos prefer to see doctors in Mexico By Anna Gorman, Kaiser Health News Mexican immigrants living in California, Arizona, Texas and New Mexico have long sought health care in border cities like Tijuana, Mexicali and Nogales. The Affordable Care Act won't change that, experts said, even though it has expanded coverage to millions… Continue reading
Apr 30 Correcting 5 misconceptions about who pays for health care in the U.S. By Jay Hancock, Kaiser Health News Full implementation of the health law, and its wider coverage, new taxes and shifting subsidies, has renewed discussions of winners and losers, makers and moochers. Continue reading
Apr 27 Pennsylvania awaits ruling on proposal to link work requirements to Medicaid benefits By Associated Press Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett has softened his rhetoric while he awaits a federal decision on his request to link a work requirement to benefits under the Medicaid expansion. It's an issue that has flared up in his hotly contested re-election… Continue reading
Apr 25 Oregon decides to ditch its online health exchange for federal site By Gosia Wozniacka, Associated Press DURHAM, Ore. — After months of trying to get its problem-plagued online health exchange to work, Oregon on Friday officially gave up on the state portal and decided to switch to the federal website — the first state in the… Continue reading