Julie Appleby

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@Julie_appleby

Trump Team’s Planned ACA Rule Offers Its Answer to Rising Premium Costs: Catastrophic Coverage

KFF Health News Original

Sweeping changes to the Affordable Care Act marketplace next year have been proposed by the Trump administration that focus on making more insurance plans available with higher annual out-of-pocket costs but lower premiums.

Worried About Health Insurance Costs? There May Be Cheaper Options — But With Trade-Offs

KFF Health News Original

As the clock ticks down on the 2026 Obamacare open enrollment season, frustrated consumers may have to make sacrifices on coverage to get a price they can stomach. But cheaper alternatives come with risks.

Sticker Shock: Obamacare Customers Confront Premium Spikes as Congress Dithers

KFF Health News Original

With subsidies that give consumers extra help paying their health insurance premiums set to expire, lawmakers are again debating the Affordable Care Act. The difference this time: It’s happening in the middle of ACA open enrollment.

Health Care Consolidation and Rising Costs Happen, but Obamacare Is Not the Key Culprit

KFF Health News Original

The debate over expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits has given Republicans room to resurface old criticisms — such as blaming the ACA for mergers and consolidation within the health care industry.

Plan-Switching, Sign-Up Impersonations: Obamacare Enrollment Fraud Persists

KFF Health News Original

Investigators from the Government Accountability Office were able to register nearly 20 fake ACA enrollments in a probe of healthcare.gov. The federal government paid subsidies to insurers for some of the fake customers.

Doctor Tripped Up by $64K Bill for Ankle Surgery and Hospital Stay

KFF Health News Original

A doctor in Colorado became the patient after an accident totaled her car and sent her to the operating room. The hospital kept her overnight, but her insurer stopped paying after she left the emergency room.

A Ticking Clock: How States Are Preparing for a Last-Minute Obamacare Deal

KFF Health News Original

Even if Congress strikes a deal soon to extend more generous Affordable Care Act subsidies, the prices and types of ACA plans available could change dramatically. Unprecedented uncertainty and upheaval could cloud this year’s open enrollment season, which begins in most states on Saturday.

Considering a Life Change? Brace for Higher ACA Costs

KFF Health News Original

Consumers contemplating an early retirement or starting a business should calculate how Trump administration and congressional policy changes could increase their health insurance costs — and plan accordingly.

Insurers and Customers Brace for Double Whammy to Obamacare Premiums

KFF Health News Original

Consumers face both rising premiums and falling subsidies next year in Obamacare plans, with insurers seeking increases to cover not only rising costs but also some policy changes advanced by President Donald Trump and the GOP.

Republican Megabill Will Mean Higher Health Costs for Many Americans

KFF Health News Original

Spending cuts hitting medical providers, Medicaid and Affordable Care Act enrollees, and lawfully present immigrants are just some of the biggest changes the GOP has in store for health care — with ramifications that could touch all Americans.

A Texas Boy Needed Protection From Measles. The Vaccine Cost $1,400.

KFF Health News Original

A family living in Galveston was surprised to be charged thousands of dollars for immunizations for their children. Their insurance plan didn’t cover the shots, and the cost of the measles vaccine in particular was more than five times what health officials say it goes for in the private sector.

Four Ways Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Would Undermine Access to Obamacare

KFF Health News Original

The combination of the House-passed spending and tax bill and the Trump administration’s regulatory action could change Affordable Care Act enrollment and the cost of insurance. The result, according to the Congressional Budget Office, is that millions of people may become uninsured.