Mary Agnes Carey, Kaiser Health News; Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Associated Press; Jackie Judd, Kaiser Family Foundation

As the November elections near, more Democrats appear to be campaigning on the health care law, touting a package of consumer protections that went into effect for plan years starting after Sept. 23. Meanwhile, retailers and restaurants say that they need waivers from some provisions of the health care law so that they can continue to offer affordable coverage to workers. And a new analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that monthly premiums for stand-alone prescription drug plans will rise by 10 percent, on average, next year if beneficiaries stay in their current plans.

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