Aug 04 Some doctors unhappy with lower-paying marketplace health care plans By Jeff Cohen, WNPR "I cannot accept a plan [in which] potentially commercial-type reimbursement rates were now going to be reimbursed at Medicare rates,” Gerard says. “You have to maintain a certain mix in private practice between the low reimbursers and the high reimbursers… 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
Jul 15 How will your healthcare change after the recent rulings on contraceptives? By Michelle Andrews, Kaiser Health News All FDA-approved methods of birth control are considered preventive care, and the health law requires nearly all health plans sold on the individual and group markets to cover preventive care without any out-of-pocket cost to consumers. The Supreme Court decision… Continue reading
Jun 30 Report urges health care industry to prepare for climate change By Lisa Gillespie, Kaiser Health News "One of the most striking findings in our analysis is that increasing heat and humidity in some parts of the country could lead to outside conditions that are literally unbearable to humans, who must maintain a skin temperature below 95°F… Continue reading
Jun 21 Proposed laws on experimental drugs stir debate By Stephen Fee This May, Colorado's governor signed the nation's first "right to try" bill, which allows terminally ill patients to try unapproved — and potentially dangerous — drugs outside of clinical trials and without approval from federal regulators. Continue reading
Jun 17 Insurers take up fight against rising chemotherapy costs By Julie Appleby, Kaiser Health News Some cancer patients and their insurers are seeing their bills for chemotherapy jump sharply, reflecting increased drug prices and hospitals’ push to buy oncologists’ practices and then bill at higher rates. 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
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 15 Watch Uninsured former inmates stand to gain health care under Medicaid expansion By PBS News Hour When American inmates are released from jail or prison, most leave without health insurance and little access to medical care. But under the federal health care law's expansion of Medicaid, that's beginning to change. Sarah Varney of Kaiser Health News… Continue watching