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 17 Are new health insurance policies blocking care to the sick? By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Associated Press Ending insurance discrimination against the sick was a central goal of the nation's health care overhaul, but leading patient groups say that promise is being undermined by new barriers from insurers. 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 Sorting out the mixed message given by health spending 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. Continue reading
Jul 31 Congress sends VA overhaul to White House By Matthew Daly, Associated Press Congress has passed a landmark bill to help veterans avoid long waits for health care and fix other problems at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Senate easily approved the $16.3 billion compromise measure Thursday night, a day after it… Continue reading
Jul 29 Affordable Care Act challenge shot down by appeals court By Associated Press WASHINGTON — In the latest effort to sidetrack Obamacare, a federal appeals court on Tuesday rejected a challenge by a conservative group that said Congress imposed new taxes unconstitutionally when it created the Affordable Care Act. 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 27 Why automatic renewal of 2015 health coverage may backfire By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Associated Press Insurance exchange customers who opt for convenience by automatically renewing their coverage for 2015 are likely to receive dated and inaccurate financial aid amounts from the government, say industry officials, advocates and other experts. Continue reading
Jul 25 House and Senate try to find compromise on VA health care plan By Associated Press A day after offering competing plans to improve veterans' health care, the chairmen of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees are again attempting to find a compromise. Continue reading